The Walking Dead: The Road to Freedom
by ReginaRheims7711
Summary: The group faces more horror as Chris and his group takes them to Chicago to live out the winter. Death is at the doorstep for our heroes as they realize the secrets their new "friends" have is worth killing someone to keep it buried. As the truth unravels so does the wrath of one survivor and this time he's collecting lives as payment. New survivors, new horror, more bloodshed.
1. The Boxer

_Chapter I_

_The Boxer_

_Within the outskirts of Chicago stands a town hidden from the rest of the world. Blocked by a twenty foot brick barracked to protect the remaining survivors in the area, stands a town where a mayor stands proud and tall while the rest suffer. Not everyone is good but then not everyone is bad. _

Twenty miles south of the farm was the remaining survivors from Atlanta. The leader was a man named Rick who carried many dark secrets and a horrible past. His wife Lori and his son Carl along were the only family members and survivors from his town. Along with the Grimes family is the hysterical mother Carol still grieving over the loss of her daughter, The Greene family, Glenn, T Dog, and Daryl, who just barely escaped the attack of walkers on the Greene's farm.

"I honestly need a drink. This sun is killing me." T Dog whined as he walked alongside with Carol and Daryl.

"I'm sure we all need one. We have to keep going until we find some shelter just in case more walkers are in the woods." Carol said.

"Knowing our luck those bastards are probably hiding out in the woods looking for something alive to eat." Daryl said as he walked his bike with the help of Rick.

"Well let's hope a town is in these god for saken' woods. I'm getting too old to walk this far now." Hershel said carrying his rifle behind him.

"Welcome to the Walker World." Glenn said.

"Don't you dare say that. I'll kill you." T Dog said.

"Guys…" Lori said.

"If you don't be quiet I'll kill both of you." Rick snarled at them.

"RICK!" Lori screamed and grabbed her husband. Maggie stopped short and sniffed the air.

"You smell that?" Maggie asked. The rest stopped walking and sniffed the air.

"Smells like death." Hershel said and took out his hunting knife.

"Actually it smells like burning skin." Glenn said.

"Either that storm last night set fire to some trees or another survivor is burning walkers. Should we check it out?" Lori asked.

"I vote a let's just get the hell out of here." T Dog said to Rick.

"We should see what's burning. Someone might have found food." Daryl said.

"Yeah and if survivors are around then maybe water is near too." Carl chirped.

"Just remember we're low on bullets. Use knives and anything else besides your gun unless you have no other choice. I'm sure walkers are still in these woods since they're migrating from the north." Rick said before walking into the forest. Daryl quickly push down his kickstand on the bike and picked up his crossbow before walking into the forest behind Rick.

"How can we tell where the fire is?" Beth asked her father.

"Well we can't tell where the smoke is coming from since the trees are covering the sky but we just follow our noses." Hershel told her before grabbing her hand and walking behind Daryl and T Dog.

"I really don't want to go in there, Mom." Carl told his mom. Lori gave him a small smile and held his hand.

"It's the only way to find out if food is around here or even survivors." Lori replied.

As the gang entered deeper in the forest they quickly killed four straggling walkers silently before they followed their noses. It wasn't long until they stopped for a quick break where they found a small pond.

"Let's just go back. We must have gone the way." T Dog said as he made a small fire and started boiling water from the pond in a small pot he carried around.

"Why are you boiling water?" Carl asked him as he watched T Dog.

"If you boil the water it kills all the germs in it. You don't want to drink water that walkers could've drunk before us. If we drink this we could be contaminated with that filthy disease they carry." T Dog said.

"I'll search the area for food." Daryl said as he picked up his crossbow and started searching the trees for squirrels.

"I think we should find the next available town and just stay there for the rest of the winter. Lori's baby is almost here and she needs to be somewhere safe where I can deliver it." Hershel said.

"Look Hershel every time we try to settle in a town it gets overtaken by those damns walkers." T Dog said.

"He's right. If they're moving down we should move up. What about Chicago or Cleveland?" Carol suggested.

"We don't have any cars except for Daryl's bike." Glenn said.

"We can always find a car it's just that it'll be too cold up there. I bet it's already snowing there. I'm sure all the gas for heat up there is all gone." Rick said throwing a stick.

"We can manage up there. Look the walkers pretty much took over the south. It's time to move up. They must have learned that they'll die of the cold if they stay up there. I say we move north." Lori said.

"Lori and Carol are right, Rick. We can't take this running around anymore. We already lost enough as it is." Maggie said.

"Look I'll think about it but right now let's just find someplace to stay for a while and then we'll move up north." Rick said. At that moment Daryl quickly walked back and motioned everyone to follow him. At once everyone followed him quietly.

"What's wrong? More walkers?" Carol asked him.

Daryl shook his head. "Survivors." He cut down some branches and walked a little farther before the whole group heard a sweet singing.

_I am just a poor boy  
Though my story seldom told  
I squandered my resistance  
For a pocket full of mumbles such are promises  
All lies and jests  
Still a man hears  
What he wants to hear  
And disregards the rest  
When I left my home and my family  
I was no more than a boy  
In the company of strangers  
In the quiet of the railway stations running scared_

_Laying low seeking out the poor quarters  
Where the ragged people go  
Looking for the places  
Only they would know_

Lori held her breath as she heard the person singing.

"It's a male but before I heard a girl singing and she sounded young." Daryl said.

"It's probably a whole family." Rick said before pulling back another branch and saw who the mysterious survivor group.

It looked like a large camping site from where the group was standing. They saw three large RVs where a group of people were laughing and eating while by the large fire was a man playing the guitar with a little girl with short blond hair. In the fire Rick could see that at least 12 walkers were burning and melting.

"Should we just walk in?" Carol asked. Just as she said that T Dog broke a branch loud enough for the survivors to hear and quickly the guns came out.

"It was over there!" One said pointing to where Rick's gang was where they were still hidden. At once the three toughest men walked over while the little blond hair girl ran over to the group of women by the RVs. Quickly Rick walked out from the trees and raised his hands.

"Whoa don't shoot!" Rick said as the men raised their guns.

"Who are you!" One of them shouted.

"I'm Rick Grimes and I have a couple of other survivors from Atlanta." Rick said keeping his hands raised.

"Survivors from Atlanta? We were there just a few weeks ago. It was overrun by those things." The man said looking at his buddies.

"We've been in the countryside for quite a while. Would you mind if you drop your weapons and let my group come out?" Rick asked.

"Oh sure no problem. Man survivors from Atlanta? That's pretty amazing since we only saw those assholes all over the place. They killed off a couple of us but we managed to escape." The guy laughed. He watched as the others from Rick's group appear from the trees.

"This is Lori my wife and Carl my son. Over there is T Dog as we call him, Glenn and Maggie, Hershel and Beth, and finally Daryl and Carol." Rick said pointing to each of the members of his group.

"I'm Chris and this here is Mike and Nikki. Over there is my wife Lauren and my daughter Bella." Chris said and pointed at his wife and the blond hair girl.

"How you do?" Rick asked Lauren.

"We're managing." Lauren said giving Rick a small smile.

"Where are all of you from?" Carol asked.

"Well we picked up a few of these people but most of us are from Chicago. At first we had at least 30 in the group but we were attacked in Graceland and then Atlanta. They killed off half of us and the other two died of natural causes. Only one is gone to hunt for dinner. Come sit with us. We have a few beers we can spare." Nikki said.

"A beer? Haven't had one in months." Daryl said walking towards the brownish color RV. Just then the little girl screamed.

"WATCH OUT!" Bella screamed pointing from behind Daryl. Daryl quickly turned with a knife in his hand to stab the walker when he was splattered with blood. The walker fell down dead with an arrow deep in his head.

"What the hell?" T Dog said confused. Lori handed Daryl a handkerchief and looked around to find where the arrow came from.

"Mike throw that body in the fire. Back from hunting already?." Chris said looking up at the trees. A cloaked person jumped down from the trees with a few squirrels and a large ugly raccoon hanging from the neck. The person was holding a large wooden bow and had an arrow bag around the body. Quickly the hooded stranger pulled the hood down and the biggest brown eyes, Rick had ever saw was the first thing that stunned him. The hunter had the longest auburn hair and the prettiest eyes. Her face was a little red from running and her clothes were bloodstained but her beauty caught Rick's group by surprised.

"Rick and everyone else, this is Angelique. Angelique this is Atlanta survivors. Seems like the last of them too." Chris said as Angelique handed the animals over to Nikki and walked over to Daryl.

"You're lucky I spotted it and shot it. Next time keep our eyes open." She said before she turned to Rick and shook his hand. "Angelique Casterini is the name. I'm a survivor from Chicago. Chris's family saved me and my family from those dead things. Sadly my father died in Atlanta. My mother was dead long before this all happened. Only Sarah, Holly and I are left in my family." Angelique said and waved at her sisters. Her sisters smiled and waved back. Holly had long raven hair and green eyes by Sarah had mocha colored skin and long wavy black hair.

"Sarah is adopted. Holly is my older sister." Angelique explained to them.

"Pleased to meet you." Rick said nodding at them.

"You all must have lost a lot of members in your group." Holly said.

"Yeah we lost a couple at the farm we were staying at and more at a campsite we stayed at before." Lori told them.

"Are there any walkers left in Chicago?" Carl asked.

"Walkers? Is that what you all call them?" Chris asked.

"Yeah what do you call them?" Carl asked.

"Assholes." Sarah said and the group burst out laughing.

"Oh by the way we should leave tonight. I just killed a couple of those walkers while I was hunting." Angelique said as Holly handed her a beer.

"Are you planning on moving north?" Rick asked.

"Yeah probably back to Chicago for a while. We heard Canada is walker free. They killed all of them and set up border patrol along the border of America and Canada. They'll let any survivor in." Mike told them as he handed Daryl, Rick, T Dog, and Hershel beers.

"Would you mind if we tagged along too? We'll leave you after we reach Chicago." Rick said.

"Hey we need more fighters. My wife is pregnant again and it looks like yours is too. You guys can join and even stick around until we reach Toronto. Us boys can't hunt since we have to protect the RVs so Angelique hunts but we're afraid those walkers might one day finally kill her so we need more hunters." Chris said.

"You mean like we can stay for good?" T Dog asked.

"Sure! We can fit ten more of you guys in the RVs." Sarah said smiling at T Dog.

"Um do you have any extra gas lying around? I have my bike on the side of the road and that thing is my baby pretty much." Daryl said. Chris laid his beer on a table and went inside his RV for a second before he came back with a small red gas can.

"Take Angelique with you. This should be enough but if go south make a right on the next intersection and you'll have to walk your bike about a thousand feet but you can park it behind my RV." Chris said handing Daryl the gas can.

"Thanks. How did you know where we walked in?" Daryl asked.

"Nikki went out about a mile to the town to find some supplies and saw you bike on the road. Sorry to say that town is walker infested. You're lucky you guys found us." Chris said.

"Enough chit chat! You three gut those things while we make the pasta." Laurel said putting her hands on her hips giving Chris the death glare.

"Lovely isn't she?" Chris asked Rick.

"Oh just amazing." T Dog said following behind Sarah. Angelique threw the arrow bag over her shoulder and grabbed her bow.

"Let's go. We only have about an hour until the sun goes down." She said to Daryl.

"Bring her back alive!" Carol joked to Daryl. Angelique stopped as soon as she went through a small patch of braches and looked at Daryl.

"Lead the way." She said.

"Hey thanks for saving my ass back there." Daryl said walking ahead of her.

"You look too strong to be killed off that easily. You owe me now."

"How long were you in the trees?"

"Actually I got there just in time to see it a few feet from you. I was surprised no one else saw it."

"You must've shot from a hundred feet away. Where you learn to shoot that far?"

"My family has this thing where first born kids are chosen to learn archery. It's a tradition but Holly was the first one to break it so they turned to me to learn. Holly hates weapons period so my dad taught me how to use throwing knives, guns and a bow and arrow."

"Ever thought of using a crossbow?" Daryl asked waving his crossbow at her.

"Those could me in a heartbeat. I prefer my Celtic bow." She said waving her bow at him.

"May I?" He asked holding out his hand. She handed him the bow and he looked at it amazed. "The design must be ancient."

"It was passed down. My father always told me that we came from a royal family in Ireland. The ancient Queen Brighid is my ancestor."

"I came from a family of rednecks pretty much." Daryl said and Angelique burst out laughing.

"Nice history."

"Well not my fault I'm not as interesting as your family. How old are you anyway? 19?"

"I'm twenty four. How old are you? Forty?"

"Actually I'm thirty three thank you very much."

"Nine year difference. How much do you bet we have different music taste?"

"I bet you like Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber and those crappy rappers."

"WRONG. I like U2, Bruce Springsteen, Pink, and I just started listening to Mumford and Sons and Imagine Dragons. They remind me of the old days back in Chicago."

"You know your life isn't over yet. I bet other survivors are somewhere in America. Marry one and have a few brats."

"Eh I don't really want kids. Especially during this time. The group needs me for food and if I have a kid inside me they won't let me do shit except sit on my ass and read. They do that to poor Laurel."

A branch cracked from behind them as they both turned and saw two walkers following them.

"I got them this time." Daryl said shooting them both in the head before Angelique could fire. Daryl walked over and took the arrows out of their heads and used Lori's handkerchief to clean them.

"Nice shot. I'm impressed." Angelique said as they continued walking.

"The group relies on me to hunt for food too by the way. I bet they're going to pair us up from now on."

"I wouldn't mind that at all actually. I secretly hate most of the people in my group. Chris and Nikki are the leaders but they're the reason my dad died."

"Rick is our leader but he killed his best friend. Ah who cares though he was bad anyway."

"I bet they treat you as an outcast huh?"

"Rick treats me like I'm his new friend but I will never forgive him for leaving my brother on some roof in Atlanta." Daryl said as moved aside a branch for Angelique. She stepped on the road and saw his bike.

"You kept this thing?"

"Yeah it's the only thing I own besides my crossbow." Daryl said as he opened the gas tank and poured the gas in.

"Chris had a Harley but he tossed it in Graceland." Angelique said as she got on the bike.

"Ever rode one before?" Daryl asked as he got on as well.

"Yeah my dad was in Chris's gang before the walkers attacked. I went to Starved Rock all the time with him." Angelique said as he turned the motorcycle on.

"You have to hold on since I don't have a back on." Daryl said and Angelique quickly wrapped her arms around his stomach before he took off. The cold wind bit their skin and faces as they drove through the curvy road. When the intersection came up Daryl quickly turned right until Angelique noticed the smoke from the campfire and they stopped. From a distance they could see the sun setting and Angelique smiled.

"When the sun sets like that it makes me forget we're living in hell." Angelique said as she got off the bike and hung on to Daryl's crossbow.

"This is what you call it? Hell?"

"Well man eating humans are hunting us. I never thought this would happen." Angelique said as they walked into the forest pushing Daryl's bike.

"Well God said the world wouldn't end in water ever again so he wants to end it with walkers." Daryl said and the both laughed again.

"You don't think you'll survive?"

"I'm tired of getting bossed around and holding on to all of this guilt. That lady, Carol, lost her daughter a few months ago and I feel like it's my fault."

"It isn't your fault unless you killer her."

"I know but I blame myself for not looking hard enough."

"Don't carry other people's guilt. You're a good man, Daryl. You don't deserve any of the group's shit. From now on you're a part of us." Angelique said. Daryl stopped and looked at her.

"You guys are willing to accept a red neck?"

"You aren't a red neck. I can tell. You protect that Carol lady."

"Yeah so what?"

"You like her don't you?"

"Actually I don't like anyone." Daryl said and started walking again.

"Why not? She seems your type."

"I just don't see us together to be honest. She lost her husband about a year ago. I don't think she wants to start a new relationship. She just wants a knight in shiny armor."

"Well you're young enough to still get married. I bet you they'll push you and Holly to get married."

"Or us together."

"I highly doubt that. You're too old." Angelique laughed.

They reached the campsite and set the bike behind Chris's RV. Angelique turned to Daryl and smiled.

"Remember what I said."

"I have good memory. I'm not that old." Daryl said taking the crossbow from her and gave a small smile.

"Oh Angelique your back! Hey we need help setting the tables up." Holly said and grabbed Angelique's arm and pulled her away from Daryl. Daryl walked past his group that was sitting by the fire and nodded at Carol before making his way over towards Chris. Carol watched him and looked at Rick.

"Is it me or has been different lately?" Carol asked.

"He was almost killed by a walker today. Cut him some slack." T Dog said.

"Hey what do you think about Angelique?" Hershel asked them.

"She's a good hunter. Did you see those damn fat things she caught?" T Dog said laughing.

"She seems distant but friendly. I was going to talk to her but she went off with Daryl." Carol said.

"You think those two started a connection?" Rick asked.

"I bet. They're both hunters. I bet they talked about what kind of walkers they killed and what weapons they use." T Dog said. The three of them laughed until Daryl walked over and sat with them.

"Hey Daryl how was Angelique?" T Dog asked him.

"She's nice." Daryl said looking at his beer.

"She flirt with you?" Rick said nudging him. Daryl smiled and shook his head.

"Look at Daryl! He's a ladies man." T Dog said saluting him.

"Ha I wish." Daryl said taking a chug of beer.

"How old is she?" Carol asked smiling.

"Twenty four."

"Hey you have a chance. Good for you. She's even a hunter so you can have those special moments alone with her." Rick said slapping him on the back.

"Alright you all leave him alone. He's blushing." Carol joked.

"Under pressure." T Dog said.

"Dinner everyone!" Laurel shouted.

"Finally!" T Dog said quickly getting up and walking over towards the tables. From the fire the man playing the guitar was still humming his favorite tune.

_In the clearing stands a boxer and a fighter by his trade  
And he carries the reminder of every glove that laid him down  
And cut him till he cried out in his anger and his shame  
I am leaving I am leaving but the fighter still remains_

When Daryl heard that piece he took a quick swig of his beer and for the first time in a long time he smiled like he meant it.


	2. Paint It Black

_Chapter 2_

_Paint It Black _

_I see a red door and I want it painted black_

"Nice hunt today!" Chris told Daryl as he grabbed the small deer he hauled back. The group moved west into Alabama where they only lost two members. An old couple that Chris saved from Graceland, but their deaths were natural causes due to old age died a week apart from each other. On the way to Alabama the group was able to find another cross country RV and find a store that was filled with food. Although they were still driving through country roads, walkers were still among them and every once in a while they were ambushed by a group but luckily no one was ever killed.

"Lucky I found her. I killed five walkers before finding her by the river." Daryl said taking out the arrow in the deer's torso and started to clean it.

"Well I'll gut her out. The group wants to hit the road tonight so if you need gas or anything let me know alright?"

"Sounds alright to me, I guess." Daryl said throwing his crossbow on the table and walking into the RV he shared with Rick and Hershel's family plus Maggie. Sitting at the table was Carl working on math problems that Lori created.

"When I was your age, I hated math." Daryl said grabbing a beer from the fridge.

"It isn't hard it's just that I don't understand why I need to know this is we're all going to die anyway." Carl mumbled. Daryl placed his beer on the table and looked at him.

"What makes you think we're all going to die?"

"The walkers will kill us all one day. The group is pretty much counting on you and that girl to find food and water. The others just sit there and play cards or drink."

"Well don't tell your folks what you told me. Besides I like hunting. It keeps me sane." Daryl said picking up his beer and walking out of the RV towards his bike. He took out a bag of cleaning supplies from a compartment in his bike and sat down.

"Cleaning your bike again?"

Daryl looked up and saw Angelique standing on top of the RV she shared with her sisters, Carol and some other girls. She was holding a rifle and smirking at him.

"I have nothing else to do so I might as well."

"You hear we leave tonight right?"

"I heard."

"Are you driving that or are we tossing it in Chris's RV again?"

"Actually I'm driving it tonight." Daryl said as he started to clean his bike. Angelique quickly climbed down from the RV and sat next to him.

"Want some company tonight?"

"Maybe. Let me think about it."

"You seem upset. What's wrong?"

"You know Rick's son, Carl? He thinks we're all going to die."

"Well of course we're all going to die. We all die one day. Some of us will just die before everyone else."

"Yeah but he believes the walkers will kill all of us." Daryl said huffing. Angelique raised an eyebrow at him.

"You believe you're going to be killed by walkers? You Daryl Dixion the most determined man in America?"

Daryl looked at her and shook his head chuckling.

"So how come Lori ignores me?" Angelique asked.

"How come you just called me the most determined man in America?"

"You fell down a mountain, stabbed by your own arrow, fought off walkers using rocks, got shot by one of your group members and you were walking around the next day. That's determination my friend."

"Well to answer your question, Lori is just a selfish person period. When she thought her husband died she was screwing off with his best friend."

"Wow that's just low."

"I mostly dreamed about her getting ripped to shreds by walkers but my dreams never come true."

"I hear you." Angelique said before clinking beer bottles with him. For the past two weeks, Daryl and Angelique started spending more time together since the group relied on them for food. It was the same drill every day for them. Angelique would find water and Daryl would hunt. Since they both left together they stayed together hunting and finding water. Both of them knew that the group was growing specious of them they didn't give a damn. Daryl never had a friend like Angelique before and he was happy enough to even have one besides Carol and T Dog. Angelique was just glad to split the work she was used to doing and having someone to talk to.

"Hey I heard clinking glasses. What are we saluting for?" Carol joked as she pulled up a foldable chair and sat next to Angelique.

"Just saying shit about Lori." Angelique said giggling.

"Well I can join in with you guys too. She makes me angry at times anyway." Carol whispered.

"Like how she thinks she can boss us around cause she's Rick's wife? Garbage if you ask me." Daryl said.

"Remember that one time on the farm she threw that temper tantrum because no one was going out to look for Rick?" Carol asked Daryl.

"Shane was there, she could've screwed with him for a while until Rick got back."

"Is Shane, Rick's best friend?" Angelique asked.

"Yeah if he was still around you wouldn't have been able to get even close to Daryl. He'll take you for himself." Carol said.

"How many others died in your group?" Angelique asked.

"Well we lost Dale a while back. He was a good man if you ask me. You might've liked him a lot. He's good with solving problems." Carol said.

"Then we had Jim." Daryl said.

"Oh yeah sweet Jim."

"Then Adrianna." Daryl said sadly.

"That poor child." Carol said.

"Adrianna? Was she blond and wore boots? Curly hair kinda tall?" Angelique asked.

"Yeah why did you know her?" Carol asked.

"No when we were in Atlanta some lady with two walker pets and the blond head lady helped us get food. They travel through the woods. She said her name was Adrianna. I bet they're still alive too. She said she's traveling north like us except they're going through the west states."

"She's still alive!? I thought she died. Actually I saw her die! She was attacked by walkers!" Carol said.

"Well your eyes must be getting old cause she's alive." Daryl said.

"Says the thirty two year old who always cracks every bone before he gets up." Carol said smirking at him.

"Sue me then."

"It's shame that all the lawyers in America are probably dead." Carol said.

"Only red necks are left." Daryl said. Angelique coughed. "And some Da Bears."

"Well Rick wants to know what's going on between you two." Carol said getting down to business.

"Nothing. We're just friends." Angelique said.

"Well nowadays the word friend isn't cutting for Rick. He thinks it's time for us to start reproducing."

"Hell no, Carol, first off if I'm going to be killing and hunting I'm not doing that with a baby and second I don't want to get married. It's too much of a hassle. I might end up like Lori over there." Angelique said.

"You explain to Rick then cause him and Chris are thinking about pairing up people so we can reproduce."

"That is so stupid. I'm telling him off right now." Angelique said getting up and grabbing her rifle before walking away. Carol quickly ran after her leaving Daryl alone.

_Useless coward_

The voice was talking again. Daryl ignored it and went back to working on his bike.

_Coward_

"Shut up." Daryl said.

_For once in your life do something right you useless bastard_

For weeks Daryl was hearing his brother's voice inside his head and sometimes he even appeared there before him, harassing him. After he almost died in the forest trying to find Carol's daughter Muriel was bothering Daryl more and more.

_Why did I have to lose my hand if I'm the better fighter? You keep both of your hands but you can't even take down a walker with just your hands? You should've died a long time ago. _

"It wasn't my fault. It was Rick who made you cut you hand off."

_Doesn't matter. You're useless. A walking piece of shit with no life ahead of you._

"Leave me alone."

"Daryl?" Daryl turned and saw Angelique standing there. Behind her people were rushing quickly throwing things into the RVs.

"What's wrong?" Daryl asked looking behind her.

"Walkers are ten miles away and it's a pretty big group so we're leaving.

"How many?"

"I would say at least a hundred. Nikki saw them when he was driving back from town."

"Dammit. Alright." Daryl said and watched Angelique climb into her RV. Daryl quickly packed up his cleaning supplies and stuffed back into his compartment before helping Chris pack the tables and chairs into his RV.

"Can you grab Angelique and get her to help pack up? We need everyone to help or they'll be here before we leave." Chris said. At once Daryl picked up his crossbow from the only table left standing and knocked on the RV Angelique was in before he walked inside.

"Angelique they need help outside." Daryl said but nobody responded. "Angelique?" Daryl walked into the living area and saw all the bunk beds empty. He quickly walked over to the bathroom and knocked.

"Angelique? Answer please."

_I look inside myself and see my heart is black _

"Go away, Daryl." Angelique said quietly.

_I see my red door and it has been painted black _

"They need help outside. Come on get out of there. Walkers will be here soon."

_Maybe then I'll fade away and not have to face the facts  
_

"Daryl I said go away! Leave me alone!" Angelique said before she let out a screech.

"Alright if you don't open this door right now I'll kick it down!" Daryl shouted. He listened for a few moments and when he didn't hear her he stepped back and kicked the door smashing it into two and saw crimson red on the small sink in the bathroom.

_It's not easy facing up when your whole world is black _

"It's not what you think!" Angelique shouted to him as he looked at the blood.

"Are you… trying to kill yourself?" Daryl asked softly.

"NO! I have Hemoptysis. I cough up blood when I'm overworked too much. Hershel was able to find medicine in town for me but it doesn't work sometimes." Angelique said before coughing up more blood in the sink.

"Does Chris know about this?" Daryl asked. Angelique nodded and started coughing again. Daryl quickly found Angelique's medicine and handed her a glass of water and her medicine before leaving the RV and walking straight towards Chris.

"You son of a bitch." Daryl said to Chris but T Dog was there and blocked him from getting to Chris.

"What the hell?" T Dog shouted.

"He knows Angelique has Hemoptysis and he overworks her anyway!" Daryl snarled.

"She has medication and she hasn't complain yet!" Chris shouted.

"Well she's coughing blood out right now in there and I'm pretty sure medication is supposed to take care of that!" Daryl screamed.

"Well she never told me!"

"She doesn't have to tell you. You should know because she can die if you overwork her like that!"

"Can we argue about this later? We have a bit of a walker problem and I want to get the hell out of here!" T Dog screamed at them both.

"Fine. Angelique is driving with me though. I don't want any of you assholes touching her. Seems like I'm the only one around here who cares about her health." Daryl said before walking back into the RV and almost bumped into Angelique.

"Thanks." Angelique said.

"Come on we're leaving. You're riding with me." Daryl said grabbing her arm and pulling her towards his bike.

"She riding with you?" Rick asked through the window of his RV.

"Yeah since asshole Chris wants to kill her." Daryl said angrily. Rick looked at him confused and watched Chris get into his RV and turn it on just before the first walker appeared out of the trees.

"Shit." Daryl said turning on his bike and driving off behind Chris's RV with Rick right behind him.

"Are you okay?" Daryl asked her as they made it out of the campsite and down the curvy road.

"I had the medicine. I'll be fine. How long are we driving?"

"As far away as we can. Hope we move north soon." Daryl said picking up speed as the group left the patchy woods onto the highway. The night sky twinkled above them as Daryl drove on.

"By the way, my dad talks to me too, Daryl. You're not the only one who can hear the dead."

Daryl sighed and picked up more speed following Chris down the highway into the world of darkness.

_If I look hard enough into the setting sun  
My love will laugh with me before the morning comes_


	3. Swan Lake Op 20 Suite – Swan Theme

_Chapter 3_

_Swan Lake Op. 20 Suite – Swan Theme_

Ever since Carl met the Chicago group of survivors he started to feel close to Bella. Although Bella was two years younger than him he taught her how to defend herself if anything ever happened to her. Between target practice his mother made him do some sort of school work and also read every so often. Carl didn't complain since he knew one of these days he was going to die. After he heard Daryl's screaming match against Chris and how he was treating the other hunter, Angelique, Carl started reading up on medicine. When the groups searched towns, Carl would always stop in the library and grab the last of the medical books before leaving. He even asked Hershel how to help his mother give birth to a baby just in case something happened to Hershel.

"Hey Carl what are you reading?" Bella asked him as he sat on the stairs that lead into the RV he was staying in.

"I'm reading about that disease Angelique has. Did you know she can choke to death if too much blood runs up her throat?" Carl asked looking at Bella. Bella shook her head and looked over to see what he was reading. He closed the book and threw it into the RV.

"Your dad is so stupid sometimes. Daryl is right. Angelique shouldn't be hunting or getting water every day. She'll just have another one of those fits again." Carl said putting his dad's sheriff hat on.

"Are we shooting today?" Bella asked.

"No not today. My mom said the woods could be crowded with walkers so we have can't practice until we hit Kansas."

"Can I ask you something." Bella asked him.

"Yeah sure, Bella."

"That man with the crossbow. Is he going to hurt my daddy?" Bella asked. Carl looked up and saw Bella pointing at Daryl who was throwing dead walker bodies into the bonfire with the help of T-Dog and Rick. Chris and his buddies were nowhere to be seen.

"Well your daddy was hurting his friend." Carl said.

"Angelique is really nice. She found me my pet rabbit but he died when we were attacked. Daddy would never hurt her she just doesn't tell anyone that she's getting overworked."

"Doesn't her sisters know?"

"Holly and Sarah? Yeah they search the hospitals for her medicine. I'm confused though. Why is he protecting her so much?" Bella asked watching Daryl walk over to Angelique and her sisters and sat down next to her smiling. Carl looked over and smile.

"Because he finally found the friend he never had." Carl looked up and saw a patch of blue in the sky.

"Why wouldn't he have any friends? He seemed nice when we first invited you guys to join us."

"His family is full of rednecks and he's a hothead. Also, I don't think anybody really liked him when he was a teenager."

"So Angelique is like his angel?" Bella asked. Carl looked at her strangely.

"What makes you say Angelique is his angel?"

"Because she saved him. Look he's happy now." Bella said. Carl watched as his mom and dad joined Daryl's group passing beers around and telling stories.

"Come on." Carl said pulling Bella and walking over to the group.

"Hey guys!" Holly said smiling. Carl gave a small smile and waved at her.

"I thought you were studying." Lori said to Carl.

"I'm sorry I bothered him when he was reading." Bella said. Lori looked surprised but then ruffled her hair.

"It's no problem, Bella. Here you guys can sit." Lori said grabbing two extra chairs set them up letting Bella and Carl. Out of the corner of his eye, Carl looked over at Angelique who had a blanket over her body. She looked sick and pale but her eyes were still that golden brown that actually scared him a little.

Carl was surprised she even came outside today since she always stayed inside when they were moving north. Ever since she coughed up a huge amount of blood last week she became really sick and under close supervision by his dad and Daryl. Every day his dad and Daryl would hunt until noon when they would come back with lunch and dinner and then his dad spent the afternoon chopping wood and Daryl would practice shooting arrows into trees, clean his bike or talk to Angelique but both of them always checked on her during the afternoon.

"Carl something wrong?" Rick asked and Carl's train of thought vanished.

"Nothing just thinking about what I was reading." Carl said.

"What were you reading on this time? How to make bullets?" Daryl joked.

"No I was reading about Angelique's disease." Carl mumbled. Everyone stopped talking and looked at him then at Angelique. Angelique gave him a small smile.

"Did you learn anything?" She asked.

"It isn't curable and you can die from it."

"Did you learn that you'll get horrible mood swings?" Angelique said smiling at him warmly. Carl laughed and shook his head.

"I have something to ask." Bella asked. Holly wrapped her arm around Bella and looked at her.

"Speak, Princess." Holly said laughing.

"Can you tell a story? A fairytale? My mommy never tells me on anymore. She tells me it's time to grow up. I really don't want to grow up though."

"Well Bella, growing up is hard. It take courage and strength but you can do it." Carol told her.

"Let the child have her wish! We all aren't like her parents." Sarah said and the others laughed.

"Well how about we tell you the story of Princess Odette?" Holly suggested.

"You mean _Swan Lake_?" Carol asked.

"I love that one! Mommy always told me that one before I went to bed." Bella said happily.

"Swan what?" Daryl said snickering. Angelique slapped him on the shoulder.

"_Swan Lake._ It's a tragedy like _Romeo & Juliet_ and it's also a ballet. I'm surprised you didn't know about it Daryl." Carol said eying him.

"I don't get into the musical news." Daryl said kicking back in his chair.

"Well Angelique can tell you all sorts of ballet stories! All three of us were in Joffery Ballet before all of this started. We always got lead roles and we even still have our shoes. See Sarah always wore pink, I wore black and Angelique wore white." Holly said.

"Oh yes and our last performance was even _Swan Lake _too. I played one of the swans, Holly played Odile, and Angelique played Odette. It was a sold out performance and we all sent the audience to their feet when it was over. That was the night the President went on TV and told us about the disease and to arm yourselves because they eat you alive. It's sad that everyone at the studio died within a day. One of the girls even hung herself in the studio the day after the performance." Sarah said sadly.

"How bad was Chicago hit?" Rick asked.

"Pretty bad. The city was wiped out in less than a week. The army came in and blew everything up killing all the walkers in the downtown area." Angelique said.

"That's what they did too. It was horrible." Lori said as the others nodded except Rick.

"Hey what about my story?" Bella asked.

"Oh! Do you guys mind?" Holly asked them. They shook their heads and watched as Bella sat closer to Holly.

_Once upon a time in a faraway land was a group of Princesses that was cursed by the evil sorcerer named Von Rothbart. He cursed them so during the day they would become swans and at night they would return to their real selves. Now in the castle that overlooked the land Prince Siegfried was celebrating his 21__st__ birthday and as a gift, his mother gave him a new hunting bow. With that bow he went out into the woods and wanted to hunt something but since it was at night he went down to the lake where the moon shined down and he saw a beautiful maiden near the water. Her name was Princess Odette and she was the leader of the swan girls. She danced all night with the prince and told him of the horrible things Rothbart did to them. That night the two fell in love and Prince Siegfried vowed to return to them every night. When Rothbart heard that the Prince was visiting the Swan Girls he hatched a plan to ruin the chances of his spell ever being broken. With his daughter, Odile, the two attend Prince Siegfried's birthday ball and Rothbart casts a spell on his daughter so she would look like the beautiful Princess Odette. After a full night of dancing with what the Prince thinks is Odette but is really Odile he tells her he loves her and they kiss. Rothbart's plans succeed leaving the Swan Girls hopeless. After Siegfried confesses his love, Odile and Rothbart quickly leave him after they reveal themselves and the Prince quickly rushes to the lake but he find the girls in dismay at the top of a hill. He quickly rushes over and tries to find Odette but Rothbart is there before him and tells all the girls that they will be swans forever. Odette feeling betrayed and ashamed jumps from the hill and lands on the sharps rocks below, killing her. After seeing what happens the Prince quickly runs past the other girls and jumps off the hill as well, falling to his death. With the two lovers dead, Rothbart's spell is broken and the girls free, Rothbart is defeated and slowly withers away. Although Odette and the Prince gave up their lives to free them the girls were able to live on and start new families and still kept the two in their hearts and minds forever. The End. _

"That isn't a happy ending kind of story. Why would you like that so much?" Daryl asked Bella.

"Because it's about true love. Love conquers all in the end and even if you don't believe in it, it's the greatest thing to happiness." Bella replied.

"Well said!" Carol said raising her beer bottle.

"Can you teach me how to dance one day?" Bella asked Holly.

"Yeah no problem but you can't go right away to pointe shoes. You need strength in your legs first." Holly said. Just then Chris and Nikki appeared from the trees startling the group.

"We need backup. A group of walkers is down by the river. At least a dozen of them I believe." Chris said out of breath. Quickly, Rick and Daryl grab their guns and weapons and shout for Glenn and T Dog who were over by the bonfire eating chips. The boys left leaving the girls to chat among themselves in the group.

"Hey where is the rest of your group?" Lori asked Angelique.

"Oh the ladies like gossiping in the RVs and make sweaters for everyone. The boys are normally with Chris so I'm guessing they are down by the river. Percy, Nikki's son, is sick and allergic of the forest air pretty much so he just stays in his RV playing video games or reading. Glad Chris installed solar lights on all the RVs so we could have light at night." Angelique explained drinking some hot chocolate Carol made for her.

"How many people died in your group?" Lori asked.

"About half. We had more before we went to Graceland but a lot of them died there. Bella's friends died there." Angelique said looking over at Bella.

"Two other families lived in another RV and they were falling behind so a large group of those walkers blocked the street… and they couldn't run all of them over… there was so much blood." Holly said as her eyes watered. Carol quickly hugged her as Holly started to cry.

"They're all up in heaven now in peace. You don't have to worry now." Carl told Bella.

"I thought they come back." Sarah said.

"They can die of starvation or maybe other survivors killed them. You'll never know." Lori responded.

"How did you keep your family together?" Holly asked Lori.

"It took a lot of work but Rick was able to keep us safe. Others had to die to save us from being killed."

"I lost my daughter and my husband on the way and I still live in grief but I believe that the people I'm with now is my family. I love all of them." Carol said.

"Daryl told me about Sophia. I'm really sorry about her." Angelique said. Carol smiled at her and mouthed thank you.

"He talks about you all the time. He even treats you like a baby chick." Sarah said laughing at her sister.

"It's pretty cute. He was never this protective over someone before." Lori giggled.

"It's probably because he needs help hunting since he's finding food for twenty people." Holly said.

"Or because he actually cares. Let's face it guys, the only good looking guy was captured by the evil Angelique here." Sarah joked pushing her sister's shoulder.

"Nothing is ever going to happen." Angelique said pushing the blanket off.

"What makes you say that? You two are close enough to spark something." Carol said grabbing Angelique's blanket and throwing it on the table next to her.

"Don't listen to Chris. He just doesn't want you getting knocked up cause he needs you for hunting." Sarah said.

"Does he always do that?" Lori asked.

"Yeah once he forced me to marry some guy in the group but he died in Atlanta and a few days before the supposed wedding day." Holly jumped in.

"We tried leaving numerous times because I group is so broken but then you guys came along." Sarah said.

"He wants all of us to get married at some point. He tried talking me into marrying Daryl a few days ago. I declined. I know Daryl wouldn't like that. Besides he isn't my type." Holly said rolling her eyes.

"I am never ever getting married again. Too much hassle." Carol said.

"Amen." Lori said clinking her beer with Carol's.

"You three are young enough to get married still so you all find a man." Carol said quickly to the three sisters.

"Mhm. I like that fine ass T Dog in your group." Sarah said grinning big.

"EW." All of the others said.

"Bella let's go by the fire where Hershel and his family are. This is getting too gross." Carl said getting up and pulling Bella behind him to Hershel's family.

"What you all don't have taste! Whatever more for me then." Sarah giggled.

"I have my husband thank you very much." Lori said and turned to see the group of men coming through the trees each pulling two or three dead walkers.

"They all better be dead." Holly shouted.

"What do you think lady?" Jason the boy they picked up in from the town before said grinning at her.

"Good cause I just finished my second beer." Holly shouted back. The group of girls giggled at her as Jason winked at Holly.

"Someone likes Holly." Angelique said.

"Shut up at least mine doesn't act like a bad boy." Holly said quickly. Angelique frowned before looking at her cup of Coco.

"Shh!" Carol whispered at Holly. Daryl dumped his load of walkers into the fire before walking over and sat next to Angelique massaging his arms.

"I had to carry the heaviest load. Dammit it hurts."

"Why would they do that?" Holly asked.

"Cause I'm probably the strongest." Daryl replied.

"Here turn around." Angelique said to him. Confused Daryl turned and she started to massage his shoulders.

"Oh my god are you using the method mom did to fix the muscles?" Sarah asked.

"Yeah if it helped dad it'll help him." Angelique said.

"It actually feels really good." Daryl said.

"Don't talk. You can't tense your muscles up either." Angelique said.

"HA you got yelled at." Holly said laughing. Daryl quickly stuck his middle finger at her before Angelique had time to slap his arm.

"Whoa nasty fellow we have here." Lori said. Angelique stopped and burst out laughing. Daryl turned to look at her.

"You've known me for over a year." Daryl said.

"And you never once stuck your finger up." Carol said.

"Oh I did. You just didn't see it because it was behind Shane's back."

"Shut up all of you I'm trying to give him a massage." Angelique said laughing before going back to massaging his shoulders.

"Look at you, Daryl. You get the royal treatment and everything." T Dog said.

"I could give you the royal treatment." Sarah said behind him. He turned and looked at Sarah.

"Oh I would like that." He said grinning.

"Alright can Romeo and Juliet go away before I throw up?" Daryl said.

"Maybe we will." Sarah winked.

"Hey kids are around." Holly said quietly.

"So what they wouldn't know what we're talking about." Daryl said.

"Daryl I bet you never got laid in a day of your life." T Dog said.

"So what? I'm proud of it." Daryl said.

"Alright done. How are your shoulders?" Angelique asked.

"Better. Thanks." Daryl said.

"Aw how cute." T Dog smirked.

"Excuse me who saved your ass from walkers today? Oh yeah that would be me." Daryl said.

"Hey I was stuck in the mud for a moment."

"Yeah but I still saved you."

"Both of you stop being bitches and let it go." Rick said walking over kissing Lori before grabbing his beer.

"Hey I didn't start it so don't blame me." T Dog said.

"Hey can we have some help cutting up this deer?" Nikki asked the boys.

"I quit. I'm not cutting up that." T Dog said walking away as Sarah followed him.

"I felt like I haven't talked to you all day." Daryl said resting his hand on Angelique's shoulder.

"Maybe I'll just jump off of a cliff." Angelique joked.

"Liar." He said ruffing her hair before walking away. "Oh!" He turned back to look at her. "I never saw you coming when we first met your group. Did you know that?" He asked. Angelique smiled at him.

"I didn't. What is that a pickup line?" Angelique asked.

"Nah it's just the truth." He said before walking away. Carl watched as Daryl walked over to the group of guys cutting up the deer.

"Something wrong, Carl?" Maggie asked. Carl looked over at the Hershel family and Glenn.

"You know my friend told me that an angel can save people from darkness. I think Angelique is Daryl's angel." Carl said looking at Bella who was sleeping on Beth's shoulder.

"You know I agree with you, son. She's an angel in disguise." Hershel said.

"Everyone deserves love." Glenn said holding Maggie's hand. Carl looked over to the girls in the group. He saw Angelique laugh with his mother and smiled and tipped his hat.

"Welcome to the family, Angelique."


	4. Dust Bowl Dance

_Chapter 4_

_Dust Bowl Dance _

_The young man stands on the edge of his porch,  
The days were short and the father was gone,  
There was no one in the town and no one in the field,  
This dusty barren land had given all it could yield._

Rick was spending his days hiding from guilt. His best friend was dead and he was his murderer. Every day he replayed the memory of stabbing Shane and then his own son killing him after he became a walker. Rick imagined that Carl was feeling the same way as him but in reality he knew that Carl wasn't feeling guilt. He just killed another walker that was trying to hurt his dad.

The group found a small farm in Arkansas that still had some cows and pigs alive and plenty of crops that needed to be harvest. From morning to noon, Rick and some of the other men went into the fields to harvest and plant new crops. They were away from the migrating walkers who were making their way to Alabama and Georgia. It was still a bit chilly at times but the crops were able to handle it and before the group knew it they still living there in November.

"Crops are still growing and the animals are eating a lot." Hershel told everyone at dinner.

"Hunting grounds are filled with deer and foxes. I'm surprised walkers haven't even step foot in this state." Daryl said wolfing down his dinner. Angelique was giving him a dirty look before picking at her food.

"Well have you've seen any wild turkeys yet?" Carol asked.

"Actually no but a farm about fifteen miles away is a turkey farm. I'm sure most of the turkey there is still alive. I'll drive there with Maggie and Glenn and we'll grab a couple of turkeys for Thanksgiving." Angelique said.

"What you're not taking Daryl?" Rick asked.

"Actually no… Daryl hates live turkeys." Maggie said giggling.

"HEY! They're evil son of a-"

"Keep it Disney rated." Lori said looking at Bella.

Rick finished his dinner before getting up taking his dishes into the kitchen.

"You going out again?" Chris asked.

"Yeah it's my turn to guard." Rick said.

"Hey I'll go with you." Nikki said before getting up and walking out into the chilly night with Rick. They grabbed two rifles from the porch before heading out to the gates on the outskirts of the farm.

"Didn't you guys live on a farm before you met up with us?" Nikki asked Rick. Rick was playing around with his riffle before looking up at him.

"Yeah and then it was overtaken by walkers."

"Those bastards can starve to death can't they?"

"Yeah that's why we don't waste ammo on them."

"So what just let them be?"

"Pretty much. It probably takes the same amount of time for them to starve just like us."

"I just asked because when we were in Atlanta we saw a ton of them on the highway dead but they weren't shot or stabbed by anything."

"They're just like people except their dead." Rick said before looking out into the field beyond the fence. It was quiet for a while before Nikki broke the silence again.

"So you woke up in a hospital before knowing about all of this. What about your childhood?"

_I've been kicked off my land at the age of sixteen,_

_And I have no idea where else my heart could have been,_

_I placed all my trust at the foot of this hill,_

_And now I am sure my heart can never be still,_

_So collect your courage and collect your horse,_

_And pray you never feel this same kind of remorse._

"I lived on a farm until I was sixteen and then I decided I had enough and left. I lived with my friend for a while and we both trained to become cops together."

"When did you meet Lori?"

"When I was training at the academy. My buddy and I went out for a few drinks and we saw her with another friend. Started dating the next day and married within two years." Rick said. Nikki was picking at grass and looked up at the stars.

"Did you ever regret leaving the farm?"

"I regretted it a lot when I was growing up. I felt alone at times but then I just grew out of it."

"I left my family too when I was sixteen. My mother died when I really little so it was just my brothers, my dad and I living on a huge farm. We pretty much cared for the little town we lived in. When I turned sixteen I was tired of working for other people and not even getting enough food for myself so I left without a trace. I got a job up near Chicago at a mall and that's how I met Chris."

_Seal my heart and break my pride,  
I've nowhere to stand and now nowhere to hide,  
Align my heart, my body, my mind,  
To face what I've done and do my time._

Rick studied the night sky like a map as memories flashed before him. All memories were about Shane. Shane's speech at his wedding, Shane there when Carl was born and Shane at Carl's first birthday party, and then Rick saw Shane's eyes. The painful look he gave Rick before he died. That look that burned into Rick's skull and will never leave him until he died.

"You ever killed anyone important to you?" Rick asked Nikki. Nikki looked up and his face was painful. Just like Shane's face.

"I killed my family. I killed them to protect themselves from the Walkers."

_Well you are my accuser, now look in my face,  
Your oppression reeks of your greed and disgrace,  
So one man has and another has not,  
How can you love what it is you have got,  
When you took it all from the weak hands of the poor?  
Liars and thieves you know not what is in store._

"Why did you go back?"

"I thought we all were going to die so I wanted to spend my last moments with my family. When I went back only one of my three brothers died. I learned that he was in a car crash and he was the youngest of the brothers so I went back facing the meanest brothers. Lenny the youngest was the only brother I loved because we were a year apart and my other brothers were at least six years older than me. When I arrived they were yelling at me, shoving me and calling me a traitor. They told me dad never loved me and it was all my fault that Lenny died. I snapped and went into the back where the shed was. They followed me saying I had to leave and I was no longer part of the family so grabbed a gun from the shed."

_There will come a time I will look in your eye,  
You will pray to the God that you always denied,  
The I'll go out back and I'll get my gun,  
I'll say, "You haven't met me, I am the only son"._

"You shot them?" Rick asked looking a little horrified. Never once did he think Nikki would do something like that. Ever.

"Michael went first. He was the oldest of us all and he pulled out his gun and pointed it at me so I shot him first. Then Alex went second he charged at me so I shot him when he was about to stab me with a pitchfork. I didn't go there to kill anyone but I was just so angry at them. Hatred took over after all those years and I just snapped. I didn't even look back when I said: "I am the only son." I went into the house and saw my dad in the living room. Oh god I will never forget the sight of him. He was beaten up badly and he looked older than he was supposed to be. I never realized it until later on that my bothers abused him a lot."

"Shit Nikki then you did the right thing."

"I would hope so. Even today I feel proud that I shot them. Who knows if they abused others but now they're rotting in hell. Anyway my dad was dying because he was so badly abused and he told me that Lenny didn't die in a car crash. After I left, Michael took over the farm and Lenny wanted to leave like I did and become a lawyer and Michael didn't like that so when Lenny was sleeping Michael came in and shot him. After that my dad was terrified of his sons." Nikki was beginning to cry as he remembered the last moments of his dad's life. "I grabbed my dad's hand and told him everything will be alright. He knew that wasn't true but he said it's time to join Lenny and my mom in Heaven. His last words were: "I will always love you, Nicolas." He died right there in the living room. I cried. Cried for hours next to him. How could my brothers do such a thing?"

"Nikki… He's in a better place…"

"How would you feel though if you had to kill them all because they became walkers? Yeah that's what I had to do. When I was on my way back to my truck my brothers changed and they were running towards me. I already knew what they were so I just killed them again like nothing because they deserve to die twice. My father came out from the house before he saw me and walked towards me. I couldn't bear it. I just wanted to leave and let him be but I knew." Nikki was crying harder than ever at this point as Rick watched him. Rick took out a rag from his pocket and handed it to Nikki. Nikki took it and wiped his eyes.

"I missed twice before I shot him. An innocent man came back to live a life of pain and death. He was going to fight for his food but he would never know that he was going to get killed. He was a good man and I left them for my own selfish reasons." Rick watched Nikki break down in tears and pain. Did he ever cry after killing Shane? He felt selfish for not doing so.

"I killed my best friend. He was getting out of hand and he killed two other people for no reason and he was about to kill me so I did what every other man would do." Rick said. Nikki stopped crying and listened.

"Daryl told me he screwed around with your wife. Why didn't you yell at her?"

"He told her I was dead. He loved her too and he just wanted her all along I guess. Well he's dead and gone. My son killed him when he changed. He only leaves with knowing that he killed a walker but I leave with actual blood on my hands."

"We both killed threats to the human race. My brothers and Shane could probably have killed more if we didn't kill them. We both walk with pain and death but I just remember that I did the right thing. Lenny and my dad are somewhere safe and watching and protecting me through this. I will always love them more than anything and I can feel their presence at times."

"I feel guilt killing Shane but for once I can say that I'm glad he's gone. Since he wouldn't have Lori anymore he could have hurt any of the other girls and I don't want them to walk around getting abused by Shane." Rick said realizing he just saved a girl's life. He probably saved Angelique's life from becoming hell and also Daryl's life as well if a fight broke out.

"Daryl would probably walk around knowing he killed Shane then if he went anywhere near Angelique or her sisters. You see that's what Chris hates about this."

"What Chris doesn't like Daryl around them?" Rick asked. Nikki shook his head.

"Chris doesn't like Daryl period. He thinks all rednecks bring trouble and he doesn't like that. All I can do is warn him to keep some distance but he won't listen to me. Listen whatever happens don't let him walk around with blood on hands. He might be able to not to feel the guilt like us but he won't be the same."

"We should head back. Walkers won't come in tonight. I'm sure this place is too cold for them so they're probably way east." Rick said grabbing his gun and getting up.

"Warn him will you?" Nikki asked.

"Yeah I will." Rick said and the boys walked back to the farm in silence.

"Well no walkers?" Daryl asked as Rick and Nikki walked up the steps. Rick saw that Daryl was with Carl, Carol, and Angelique. Rick gave his hat back to Carl and looked at Daryl.

"We need to talk." Rick said and walked down the steps and towards the barn where the horses were staying. Daryl quickly followed him with Nikki right behind.

"What did I do something?" Daryl asked Nikki. Nikki didn't answer him and stood next to Rick when they were by him. Rick stuffed his hands in his pocket and looked at the ground.

"Daryl… Chris-"

"No I don't even want to hear about what that asshole has to say." Daryl said cutting Rick off.

"Daryl, Rick is trying to explain." Nikki said.

"I don't care! You know it's not really fair that I can only talk to certain people."

"We know, but Daryl we're just protecting you. Chris had a plan and he wants to stick to it." Nikki said.

"What make the Casterini sisters marry someone they don't want to? That isn't right."

"Daryl you listen to me and you listen to me good. Chris is ready to have you killed and gone if you keep screwing up his plans. Just lay off and let him do what he has to." Rick said. Daryl looked down.

"They're the only ones who know what's like. Besides Carol, T Dog and you… they're the only people who showed me kindness." Nikki quickly looked at Rick.

"This is true?" Nikki asked Daryl.

"I was always treated like shit alright?" Daryl said. Nikki looked over at Rick for help.

"She's nine years younger than you. It won't work." Rick said. Daryl looked up and stared into Rick's eyes.

"Age is just a number." Daryl said before turning around and walking back up to the house.

"Shit." Rick said pounding his fist on the barn. Nikki was watching as Daryl was welcomed back into the group and sat next to Angelique.

"You can't help it. When a man falls he falls hard and won't let anyone in his path. It happened to you and I so why not Daryl?" Nikki asked.

"Because he's just asking Chris to shoot him at this point. That girl is so much younger why can't he stick with someone his age."

"Why did God create love anyway? It's a mystery but if they love each other then let them be. It's not our job to break them up. You have Lori and I have Gwen. We're free to choose who we want to marry so just let them be." Nikki said before walking away from Rick to the house. Rick sighed and looked up at the stars.

"God… why do let people get in trouble just for love?" Rick asked the heavens. "Does love even exist anymore?" Rick silently walked back up to the house, past the group on the porch and inside to find his wife with Maggie and Sarah.

_Well yes sir, yes sir, yes it was me,  
I know what I've done, cause I know what I've seen,  
I went out back and I got my gun,  
I said, "You haven't met me, I am the only son"_

"_Does love even exist anymore?" _


	5. The Forgotten

_Chapter 5_

_The Forgotten_

It was when the first snowfall fell when the group picked up and left the farm. The temperature dropped dramatically and Daryl ended up chaining his bike up in Nikki's RV for the rest of the winter.

"Get one scratch on it and you'll wish you were dead." Daryl said pointing a wrench at him. When they reached Springfield, Illinois they stopped off at an abandoned farm for the night.

"A blizzard is coming." Carol said looking up at the sky. T Dog stood next to her holding a rifle.

"If a blizzard is really coming then let's find blankets and coats. I'm sure the family who owns this place has some. You boys find food." Hershel said. Angelique coughed. "Oh yes and Angelique you look for food too." Angelique grabbed her bow before following Daryl and Nikki into the small patch of forest.

Lori sat in the doorway with a blanket covering her.

"Is the baby alright?" Beth asked her handing her another blanket.

"Oh it's fine. Listen we need to talk. Actually… all the girls need too." Lori said quietly.

"Oh I hear you." Beth said. Just then there was shots fired and Beth ducked.

"DAMN WALKERS." Chris shouted from the top of his RV as he shot a few walkers that appeared from the house.

"How many?" T Dog asked Chris.

"About nine I'm thinking." Chris shouted back before firing again. Angelique appeared from the forest with Daryl and Nikki and shot one of the walkers.

"Damn good aim, Angelique." Nikki said.

"Which is why I refuse to carry a gun." Angelique replied and fired another arrow.

"I'll give this to Elizabeth." Daryl said and carried a small deer back to the RVs.

"You missed one. Think you can get him?" Nikki asked Angelique looking at the house where a walker was walking out from the front door. They both walked till they were a hundred feet from the house when Angelique fired and killed the walker. Nikki pulled the arrows out of the walkers while Angelique cleared the house.

"Only killed one. House is cleared though." Angelique said stepping out from the house cleaning one of her knives. Nikki handed her the bows before giving the signal to Chris. It wasn't long until T Dog and Carol ran up to the house.

"Anything in there?" T Dog asked.

"Nothing of value but I bet blankets are upstairs." Angelique said.

"Alright I'll get blankets. Carol find soup or something we can heat up." T Dog said and walked into the house with Carol right behind him.

"I'm exploring the back." Angelique said and pulled Nikki with her around the house. There was blood on the side of the house.

"Well we know how one of them died." Nikki said covering his mouth and nose with his shit. Angelique walked in front of him and looked towards the horizon. Nikki started searching the shed finding a few weapons and another rifle.

"We can't stay here long." Angelique told Nikki still looking out.

"What makes you say that?" Nikki asked looking the same way as her.

"High school is right across the farm field. I'm guessing a good hundred walkers are in there."

"So what? It's not like they're going to get out or anything."

"Hey they had enough strength to knock down that wall to get to us in Atlanta."

"Although that place might have supplies. We're low on emergency kits." Nikki said scratching his chin.

"Something wrong?" Carol asked walking out from the back with a bag of cans.

"High school is in the distance but Chris told me yesterday that we were low on medical supplies. Angelique here doesn't think it's a good idea to be exploring there." Nikki said.

"There has to be over a hundred walkers there that's why!" Angelique said.

"I agree with Angelique. We're not risking anyone's life just for some stuff we can get at a Wallmart which must be around here." Carol said.

"I'll talk to Chris but I'm going to bet he would want to explore that place." Nikki said before grabbing the bag of cans and walked away from the two girls. Carol and Angelique waited for T Dog to walk out with his hands full of blankets and sheets.

"I'm not risking taking the ones on the bed but these were in the closet." T Dog said handing some sheets to the girls and all three started walking back to their camp site.

"You heard about Chris's plan that involves Sarah and I?" T Dog asked them.

"What is he planning on you two getting married?" Carol asked.

"I asked her a few days ago. She agreed within the hour I asked." T Dog said grinning.

"Oh that's lovely! At least some good news is coming out from Chris." Carol said.

"Now if only he can let Daryl and-"

"Don't even start, T." Angelique said cutting him off.

"Just saying, A. You two are really good for each other." T Dog said.

"He's right. I don't understand why Chris doesn't let it go." Carol replied. Angelique ignored the two of them and walked ahead of them.

"Well now we're ready for the blizzard!" Elizabeth said as she saw Angelique give a few blankets to Rick. Rick looked at Angelique and handed her a water bottle.

"Something wrong?" Rick asked when she took the bottle silently.

"Nothing." Angelique mumbled before walking away to her sisters.

"Hey Rick, Nikki said there was a school over the farm fields behind the house. How about we check it out tomorrow?" Chris asked as he walked over towards Rick. Rick leaned back against the RV.

"You're putting the group in danger you know that right?" Rick pointed out.

"The group is tough enough to handle a few high school walker kids. We have more than enough ammo to kill off the kids and then some."

"I just don't think it's a good idea." Rick said. Chris gave him a hard look.

"I wasn't asking for your say. I'm leader and it's my way or the highway. You hear me out or I'll kick you and all your buddies including Romeo over there out of the group." Chris said looking over at Daryl. Rick shoved Chris aside.

"Your way or the highway, Chris? I thought you said this group didn't have a ruler. You can kick us out or even kill us for all I care but Daryl Dixion is the better man in this group. At least he has a heart unlike your white trash self." Rick said before leaving Chris by himself in anger and fear.~

The group was awoken to the sounds of a few walkers that made it into their campsite. Rick opened his RV door with his gun in his hands before he saw all four walkers with arrows in their heads. He walked out and saw Angelique and Daryl pointing their bows at the dead walker group from atop of Angelique's RV.

"Did you two stay up all night?" Rick asked them.

"Actually no we went hunting and found a wild pig and some chicken back at the farm. T Dog and Nikki fell asleep so we just took over." Daryl said looking over at the passed out Nikki and T Dog with a deck of cards in between them.

"Typical of T Dog. Hey help me get these bodies in the fire then." Rick said slowly closing his door before throwing some leftover wood into the dying fire. Angelique and Daryl jumped off of the RV and took their arrows out of the walkers before stacking the bodies and lit them up.

"I heard you had a fight with Chris." Angelique told Rick as he started gutting the pig.

"That assholes believes he's leader of the group." Rick said. Angelique took out a piece of cloth from her coat and started cleaning her and Daryl's arrows.

"It was about me wasn't it?" Daryl asked helping Rick with the pig. Rick stopped cutting and looked at the both of them.

"You two better tell me the truth you hear?"

"What are you talking about?" Angelique asked. Rick paused and looked over at Chris's RV.

"Are you two in some relationship that Chris wouldn't be happy about?" Angelique stopped cleaning and looked right at Rick.

"No but… We promised when we make it to Chicago that we're running off." Angelique said.

"Running off? You two are planning on ditching the group?"

"Not just us… Glenn, Maggie, Beth, and Hershel will be coming too. Angelique was talking about how her community was gated so we could live there." Daryl said quietly.

"You two didn't bother to tell me this plan?"

"No because you would tell Chris." Angelique said.

"I wouldn't tell that bastard anything if I knew you two were planning a Romeo and Juliet runaway with half of my group behind you."

"We're not dating." Daryl said slamming his hands on the table causing Rick to jump. Just then Chris's door opened and Chris walked out with his gun on his belt, his face expressionless.

"We leave in half an hour." Chris said banging on the other RV doors. Rick threw his knife on the table.

"You two aren't running off until I figure out what the hell is going on with Chris. If anything we're leaving him if he starts to kill everything in sight like Shane did. Let me talk with the others." Rick whispered to the both of them. Daryl nodded and went over to T Dog and pushed him.

"Up we're leaving for the school." Daryl said. T Dog jerked and rubbed his eyes.

"Chris won't drop it?" Nikki asked stretching out.

"Nope so I suggest you two prepare to kill a whole lot of walkers." Daryl said. Angelique walked into her RV and woke her sisters up before taking her medicine and grabbing extra bows from her bag.

"This is crazy." Sarah said throwing on jeans and an extra sweater on before loading her guns and grabbing her dad's hunting knife.

Rick watched his own son load a couple of guns they kept in a drawer in the RV.

"Do you like the new people in our group?" Rick asked Carl.

"Only Bella and the sisters. Sometimes Nikki but it's only once in a while." Carl replied.

"Angelique and Daryl planned on running off when we reach Chicago."

"That's smart of them. Chris won't let them be together so why not run off so they can? I would run off with them. Daryl is a much better leader than Chris."

"They have most of the group following them. Maggie, Glenn, Beth and Hershel already agreed to their plan. Angelique said she used to live in a gated community and that's where they're planning on staying." Carl finished loading his guns before looking up at his dad.

"Did they ask you to run with them?" Carl asked.

"No… no they kept it from me."

"Dad… I don't want to be with Chris. He's becoming a Shane."

"I know but until we get to Chicago we have to live with it."

"Hey we're leaving!" Nikki shouted. Lori walked out from the bathroom and threw on a coat and grabbed a gun.

"Let's go." Lori said. Carl grabbed two of the guns and ran out to meet up with Bella.

"You heard everything I told Carl?" Rick asked her.

"If they go then we go. We aren't supposed to fear the living." Lori said before kissing Rick and walked out of the RV to Carol and Maggie. Rick grabbed the last two guns and looked out the window to see Daryl and Glenn talking quietly to T Dog and Nikki.

"So it begins." Rick said tipping his hat.~

The walk to the school was quiet and long and only Chris talked as he made the groups.

"I want Lori, Sarah, Beth and Angela to search the cafeteria for food and water. T Dog, Nikki, Rick and I will search the outside of the school. Carl, Angelique, Holly, Maggie and Hershel you search the north side of the school and finally Daryl, Carol, Elizabeth, and anyone else I didn't call will search the south side." Chris said as they approached the school. Angelique raised her bow as she saw a few straggling walkers walk around the front of the school.

"Don't shoot. Use the knives if only a few are around." Carol said lowering Angelique's bow.

"Kill all of them you see." Chris said.

"What if we find survivors?" Beth asked.

"I'll decide their fate but keep them alive until then." Chris said before taking out his knife and running towards the closest walker, stabbing him in the head. The other walkers turned and walked towards Chris. T Dog, Rick and Nikki quickly went to stab the other walkers coming closer to Chris. Angelique's group quickly headed inside the school and headed north.

"Flashlights attract them." Carl told Angelique said and he switched on his flashlight and shined it down the hallway. A few walkers appeared from the classrooms and looked right at the group.

"Stand back." Angelique said taking out her throwing knives and started flinging them at the walkers. Holly and Maggie quickly rushed and started stabbing the remaining walkers after Angelique ran out of knives.

"Teach me how to throw those?" Carl asked Angelique as she took the knives out of the walkers.

"Count that two people." Hershel said.

"Of course guys." Angelique said checking the empty classrooms as they walked down the hallways.

Carol was the first to pull her gun and shoot a walker that was about to attack Elizabeth.

"Thank you so much Carol." Elizabeth said hugging Carol. Glenn searched the nurse's office bringing out medicine, emergency kits, and water bottles.

"Seems like someone else was here before us because a lot of the water is gone and only two kits are left." Glenn said stuffing the items in his backpack.

"Someone must be living here." Daryl said.

"Let's find him or her." Elizabeth said flashing her flashlight down the hallway and checked the classrooms.

"Is it me or is this place not walker infested like we thought?" Glenn asked.

"The school could have been closed before the virus started. The North part of the US was warned before us about the thing spreading. They had more time to leave the country." Daryl said shooting a lone walker.

Lori and her group finally found the café before they met up with a dozen of walkers. Sarah quickly shot them down while Nikki's wife, Angela, searched the kitchen for food.

"See anything?" Sarah asked. Lori looked out the window and saw a large group of walkers head towards the gym.

"Something must be in the gym. People maybe?" Lori asked watching the walkers outside. Sarah looked out the window as well.

"Hey Angela finish up the packing. We should look into that gym." Sarah said reloading her rifle and stepping outside and fired at the walkers by the gym.

"I got enough cans of food to last for a few days. Other than that all the food and water is gone." Angela said carrying out a backpack.

"Well Sarah went to look into the gym to see if any survivors are in there." Lori replied to Angela. It wasn't long before Sarah returned.

"Survivors?" Lori asked rising from her chair. Sarah shook her head.

"The gym is full of walkers."~

Angelique's group walked outside and met up with Carol's group as they walked out with only two backpacks filled with supplies.

"This was a waste of a trip." Hershel said talking to Daryl as he checked over Angelique's arrows.

"I agree completely." Daryl said.

"Let's just find the others and get out of here." Glenn said and grabbed Maggie's hand before walking around the back of the school. From out of the corner of Carol's eye she thought she saw something hide behind a pile of scrap metal. She shrugged her shoulders and followed the group to the back where the gym was. When they saw Rick's group, Chris hugged his wife quickly.

"Find anyone?" Chris asked.

"Nope. Did you?" Glenn asked.

"Nothing. Just a bunch of lone walkers. This place is giving me the creeps. Let's just find the others and leave." T Dog said.

"I'll go get them." Angelique said before running towards an open door in the school.

"Any kits?" Rick asked Glenn.

"Just two but it won't get by with the large group we have." Glenn told Rick. Just then someone grabbed Carol and pulled a gun to her head. The group turned and started shouting as a man with fiery green eyes and pale skin was holding Carol.

"Give us back the supplies or I'll put a bullet in her head." The man shouted.

"Drop your weapons!" Another pale face man said pointing his gun at Daryl who had his crossbow ready at the man holding Carol.

"Let's talk this out." Rick said raising a hand at the men.

"I said drop it!"

Rick and the others quickly dropped their weapons.

"Give him the backpacks!" The man holding Carol said. Glenn and Holly tossed the backpacks tossed the backpacks. From behind Lori quickly saw her husband with his arms raised and looked over to see Carol at gun point and another man with machine gun pointing at Daryl.

"Sarah…" Lori whispered.

"I know and look she's missing." Sarah replied back. Angela quickly hid behind a wall and pulled out her gun.

"Oh hell no they're not killing my husband." Angela said loading her gun and looked over at group.

"We're too far too shoot though." Sarah said as her and Lori hid with Angela.

"If Angelique is searching for us she'll probably see what's going on and find a way to kill them without being seen." Lori whispered.

"Alright what are all of you doing here!" The man with the machine gun shouted.

"We're just here to look for supplies." Chris replied.

"Who is the leader here?"

Chris and Rick looked at each other before Chris raised his hand and came forward.

"I am."

"Well good for you." The man holding Carol said and shot Chris in the arm. Chris dropped to his knees holding his arm, trying to hold his screams in.

"CHRIS!" Elizabeth shouted.

"Stay put or I'll kill him, stupid bitch." The man said pointing his gun at her now.

"Actually you're the stupid bitch, stupid bitch." Someone said and just then the man holding Carol dropped dead with an arrow stuck in his forehead. The man with the machine gun looked up and saw Angelique on top of the school and started firing at her.

"Angelique!" Sarah shouted and came out from hiding shooting at the man. Carol quickly picked up the gun the man was using and fired the kill shot at the other. She dropped the gun and started to cry when Daryl rushed over to her and hugged her tightly.

"Are you okay?" Lori asked as she ran over to everyone.

"Hell no! Man I almost got killed by some gang bangers and one of them had a damn machine gun!" T Dog shouted.

"Come on we need to leave. Chris needs surgery." Hershel said looking at Chris's arm. Angelique walked over and pulled out her arrow from the dead man.

"You could've killed us all, Angelique." Chris said coughing.

"Well I didn't did I and next time don't tell me what to do. I just saved your ass." She replied kicking the dead man and threw open the shed door that was a few feet away.

"Help… please…" Angelique jumped back when she saw a teenage boy tied to a wood post. Next to him was a small girl who was knocked out and had a head wound.

"Is she dead?" Angelique asked him as she quickly rushed over to him and cut him free.

"No they just knocked her out. Oh thank you god for saving me." The teen said.

"What's your name?" Angelique asked.

"My name?"

"Well duh."

"I… uh…."

"Come on I'm not asking for your social security number I'm asking for your name!"

"I don't…. remember…." The teen said sadly and lifted up the small girl. "This is my sister though." Angelique scratched her head as Daryl and the others peered inside and saw the only two survivors.

"Kill them!" Nikki shouted.

"No no! They were hostages. They're okay." Angelique said blocking the teen from Daryl's aim.

"Hostages?" Chris asked coughing again.

"They found us a long time ago and made us work for them. They used my friends as bait for those things. Please just help us. You only killed two of them… More are around here somewhere." The boy said.

"Yeah we need to leave. The gym is walker heaven." Sarah told the group.

"Alright let's move out people." Rick said and led the group out of the school yard back to their safety heaven.~

"How's he doing?" Angelique asked when Daryl sat next to her on the roof of her RV.

"Chris will live sadly but the other two are in bad shape. The little girl has a broken hand and deep cuts but the guy only has a few broken ribs. Looks like we made two new members in the group though." Daryl replied taking a swig of beer.

"I still want to leave though."

"I know. Rick is going to talk to the group and see if anyone else wants to leave."

"He never even said thank you, you know? I save his ass and he won't even be grateful about it."

Daryl wrapped his arm around her.

"I'm sure he is. He just doesn't want to show it." Daryl said. The two of them sat in silence as they watched the group slowly make their way to bed one by one. Angelique looked up at the clearness sky and saw the stars.

"I never had a friend like you, Daryl." She said.

"I never had a friend period." Daryl replied.

"You treat me with respect. You're like the only guy who ever did." Daryl looked over at her put down his beer.

"Maybe it's because they never saw how amazing you are. You're sticking by my side to help me find my brother and treat me like I belong."

Angelique grabbed his other hand.

"You ever believe in love at first sight?" Angelique asked.

"I think I do."

"Me too."

"Why are you asking?"

"Because… I think I've fallen in love… with you." Angelique said quietly. Daryl smiled and hugged her tightly.

"Then you're the first." He said and leaned down to kiss her.


	6. I Dreamed A Dream

_Chapter 6 _

_I Dreamed a Dream_

_I Dreamed a dream that time gone by. When hope was high and life worth living._

Angelique woke up in her bed where she couldn't remember how or when she got there. In the front of the RV she saw Daryl driving the RV. To her she saw endless cornfields and a walker every now and then walking through the fields. Daryl looked up in the mirror and saw her.

"Morning, crabby." He joked.

"Why are you driving?" Angelique asked as she grabbed a bag of chips and a coke before sitting next to Daryl.

"Your other sisters are knocked out and Chris saw a whole bunch of walkers a mile away from the site so we left as soon as possible." Daryl said grabbing a handful of chips from Angelique. She looked back and saw her two sisters snoring peacefully in their beds and smiled.

"Does Chris know you're in the same RV as me?" Angelique asked.

"Who cares? Besides I'm not giving you up anymore. He can go screw a walker for all I care." Daryl hissed before getting cut off by another RV that looked like Rick's.

"Want me to drive?"

"With T Dog driving like a mad man? Hell no."

Angelique glared at him before looking out the window.

"Going to Chicago?"

"Actually Chris said we're going back to your town. Oakbrook is what I heard it's called."

Angelique dropped her chips and she looked over at Daryl looking frightened.

"We can't go back there."

"Why not?"

"He's there."

"Who is there?"

"My fiancé." Angelique said.

Chris's plan was going smoothly. By noon they would be inside his old mansion house in a gated community where everyone would be safe and his wife and Lori would be able to give birth safely in his own home. Now if you could just kill off that bastard redneck everything would work out well.

"Honey are we going back home?" His wife asked when she lowered the radio.

"Yep. Last time we were there the mayor used our community as a safe zone for anyone that was still alive. I'm sure it's still there." Chris said checking the time. Only another hour and they'll be back in Oakbrook.

"What's the plan?"

"We stay there until winter is over and we move up to Canada with the rest of the Oakbrook survivors I'm guessing. Let Beth, Angelique, Holly and Sarah get married while we're there and start making babies and live off the rest of our lives in peace."

"Can I ask you something?"

"Anything dear."

"Why won't you let Daryl and Angelique stay together?"

"Because that asshole is no good for her and she has a fiancé at home!" Chris snapped.

Rick was bickering with the new member of his RV or the kid from the school. They group named him Mickey since he couldn't remember his name and his sister, Rea. Rea was staying with Angelique's group and boy did she stick to Angelique like glue. She would chirp up when Angelique was around but when she left for hunting she stayed close to Carol and was quiet for the time being. Rea though didn't like Carl one bit but Carl didn't mind really.

"Look I'm telling you! It's better to just stay in the RVs and ride up to Canada without stopping at Oakbrook!" Mickey complained.

"Look here. My wife is pregnant and she's about to give birth anytime now so we're stopping there so she'll be safe and the baby will too. Now sit down and shut the hell up." Rick said before turning around and went back to chatting with T Dog.

"What's in Oakbrook anyway?" T Dog asked watching the road as he went around a walker walking down the highway.

"Chris's mansion and shelter."

"So what are we staying there for the whole winter?"

"Most likely since we have Lori and his wife that should be due any day now."

"Here is some coffee guys." Lori said handing them two cups of coffee.

"Thanks, Lori." T Dog said.

"So what is Chris's master plan?" Lori asked sitting on the couch behind Rick.

"Who cares? We're ditching them as soon as we get there. Like hell I'm staying in some rich block. They're think I'm some criminal and shoot me down." T Dog said.

"Daryl is still thinking about leaving?" Lori asked.

"Yep and he's taking Angelique with him. Either we leave with them or we stay with Chris but they're leaving no matter what. I heard Chris talking about someone that misses Angelique back in Oakbrook." Rick said taking a sip of his coffee.

"A boyfriend? Brother? What about another family member?" T Dog asked.

"No a fiancé from what I heard Chris telling Nikki."

"So that's why she wanted to leave this whole time." Lori said.

"Yeah cause as soon as her fiancé sees Daryl he'll beat the crap out of him." T Dog said.

"Or the other way around." Lori replied.

"So did you get the guy's name?" T Dog asked.

"Nope. Nikki knew who it was so Chris didn't say a name."

"Well should we protect Daryl or what?" Lori asked Rick.

"Looks like we just have to wing it." Rick said looking back out at the road.

They arrived in Oakbrook at noon where Chris got out of his RV and stood at the closed gate.

"Hello?!" Chris shouted.

"Who's there?" A guard at the top of the gate asked.

"Chris! Chris Carraway! I used to live here." Chris shouted back.

"Chris?!" A women shouted from the other side of the gate.

"Hey Suze!" Chris waved.

"Oh my gosh…. Guys! Chris and everyone else are back!" Suze shouted to everyone else.

"Well are you going to let me and my group in?" Chris asked the guard. He waved at the other guards and they pulled the gates apart and let the RVs in before closing the gate behind them. Angelique saw old neighbors she used to live next door. They looked normal and fear wasn't on their faces. Chris stopped the RV in front of a brown brick mansion before stepping out with his wife and the others and getting caught up with neighbors. Angelique unbuckled her seat belt and sighed. Her sisters opened the door and were greeted by an old lady.

"Mommy? Are you okay?" Rea asked, hugging Angelique.

"Yeah… yeah I'm fine, Rea." Angelique said before picking her up.

"Will these people like me?" Daryl asked her.

"You just have to wait and see." Angelique told him before walking out of the RV.

"Angelique!" Her neighbor, Mr. Berry said hugging her.

"Hello Mr. Berry. How is everyone?" Angelique asked still holding tiny Rea.

"Everyone is still alive! The mayor saved a lot of us actually so we're blessed. Is this your daughter?" Mr. Berry asked and smiled at Rea.

"No we picked her and her older brother up in Springfield before we got here." Angelique told him.

"So who is this young man behind you?"

"A friend. This is Daryl Dixion." Angelique said smiling warmly at Daryl.

"How you do?" Daryl said shaking Mr. Berry's hand.

"Pretty well, sir. Well, Angelique, your house is still empty since the Mayor thought you were returning one day so where is the rest of your family?"

"Sarah and Holly are over there… my dad died though a long time ago." Angelique said sadly before turning away from him and walking down the path to her house. Chris watched as the Casterini's grabbed their luggage from the RV and walk up the hill to their cherry wood mansion.

"Honey something wrong?" Elizabeth asked.

"Where is he?" Chris asked.

"Who?"

"Angelique's fiancé." ~

Angelique took her spare key out of her jacket and opened the door. The place was clean. Too clean.

"Well the mayor must've made people clean this place while we were gone." Holly said before walking up the staircase to the second floor. Daryl dropped his overnight bag and walked around the place.

"What did your dad do for a living?" Daryl asked Angelique.

"Lawyer." Angelique said before setting Rea down in the sitting area and walking into the kitchen. She opened the fridge and found it filled with food and water.

"Where is this place getting all the power?" Daryl asked once he saw that the lights were working and the heater turned on.

"I'm not sure."

"Mommy! Where am I sleeping?" Rea asked when Angelique was looking through the cupboards. She found a bag full of cookies and handed one to Rea.

"Upstairs with the rest of us. There are five floors in this house including a basement. Two floors of bedrooms so you're group can stay in this house." Angelique said grabbing her stuff before walking up to the second floor.

"Wow five floors?" Daryl asked walking up behind her.

"This is a pretty much a castle. Second floor is my dad's antique floor. All paintings of old family members and anything valuable are on this floor." Angelique said before turning a corner to a white room where she took out a white card.

"What's that for?" Rea asked. Angelique took the card and held it up to a scanner before inputting a code and another door opened.

"You have an elevator?" Daryl asked before Angelique walked inside it and pushing a button to the third floor.

"Yep. Like I said my dad was one of the biggest lawyers in Chicago. He won the case against a huge serial killer and got sixteen billion dollars as payment plus a bonus from the company." Angelique explained before the elevator door opened and she saw her sisters running up and down the halls fixing up the rooms. The walls were white with paintings of Chicago and Angelique's family but what scared Daryl the most was that everything was pure white. Walls, ceiling and even the rugs were snow white.

"Dad must've gave the mayor an extra elevator card cause the rooms are spotless and clean!" Holly said from one of the bedrooms.

"This is our floor but anyone can stay here. The fourth floor is bedrooms too so Rick and the others can stay up there. In total we have fifteen rooms, six bathrooms and five baths and showers. Make yourself at home guys." Angelique said before opening her bedroom door up to show them her room. Her room was warm inviting. It had pretty much everything a rich person's room would have. A flat screen TV plus video game system on the wall, a fireplace on the opposite side from the bed, a bathroom that had a bath AND shower and a walk in closet filled with the latest fashion. Daryl's jaw drop when he looked at the room.

"Is everyone's room look like this?" Daryl asked.

"Pretty much except I'm the only one with a video game system and the wall colors are different." Angelique said tossing clothes from her bag into her hamper bag.

"Mommy what are these bags?" Rea asked holding bags that were on her bed. Angelique went over and started taking out the things in the bags.

"Mommy what is this?" Rea asked holding a bottle.

"Perfume, Rea. Don't touch that, sweetie." Angelique said grabbing the bottle from her and grabbing the boxes of shoes and threw them into the closet and the bottle was placed on the vanity.

"What the hell is all of this?" Daryl asked handing her the clothes on the bed.

"My fiancé's gifts. He spoils me rotten so I won't leave him." Angelique said throwing the clothes into the closet.

"This must be thousands of dollars' worth of stuff." Daryl said.

"Yeah well since the place is deserted I bet he took it from Michigan Ave, without paying." Angelique snapped.

"Why do you hate him so much?" Daryl asked sitting in a chair next to the fireplace.

"I don't hate him… My dad arranged my marriage with his father when we were really little. I used to love him but it died a long time ago."

"Why didn't he come with you when you guys first left?" Rea asked.

"He wanted to stay here because his father was too sick to leave. I'm sure his dad is dead now but I promised I was going to come back one day." Angelique said sadly.

"He won't be too happy to see me then huh?" Daryl said.

"Not at all."

"Can I see my room?" Rea asked.

"You can have the one next door to mine. See that door over there?" Angelique asked pointing at the white door near her bed. Rea nodded her head. "That's your room. Our rooms are connected so you can always visit me okay?"

Rea ran over her to the door and opened it before screeching and running inside.

"Is my room across the hall?" Daryl asked looking out Angelique's room into the other bedroom that had dark blue walls instead of Angelique's cherry red walls.

"Yeah you can have that one. I gave Rea the one with the pink walls." Angelique said smiling.

Daryl grabbed his bag and tossed it on Angelique's bed before throwing his clothes into the hamper bag. Sarah knocked on the door and walked in.

"Daryl your group is downstairs. Are they staying on the fourth floor?" Sarah asked.

"Yeah they are. Hey Carl and Beth can stay down here though." Angelique told her sister before Sarah walked out.

"Mommy! Do we have clothes for me?" Rea asked walking back into the room and sitting on the bed.

"I'm sure I can ask the mayor and he'll let us go over to the mall and look for clothes for all of you guys." Angelique said ruffling her hair.

"Where should I put my stuff?" Carl asked with Beth right behind him.

"Oh here let me show you." Angelique said and walked out of her room and showed them to the different rooms. "Here are elevator cards for each of you. The code is 7679 and also each floor has a small kitchen so if you get hungry or thirsty at night I'm sure food and water are in the fridges."

"Should you go meet the mayor?" Daryl asked her.

"I probably should. Let me go change my shirt." Angelique said and shut her bedroom door behind her.~

"Les Mis is a really good musical actually." Lori told everyone as they sat in the living room waiting for Angelique.

"I Dreamed a Dream is one of my favorite songs from that musical." Carol said humming the song while she took a sip of wine from her glass. There was a knock on the door and a large chime that must've been the doorbell was heard.

"It's probably the mayor." Holly said before walking into the hall and opening the door.

"I want to know where they're getting all the electric from." Rick said whispering to Lori.

"Well I heard a lot about you guys!" A man bellowed as he walked in. He was wearing a black long coat and underneath was a white suit. He was wearing a black winter cap and his face was covered in stress wrinkles but a smile was painted on making him look like an elderly wizard.

"You the mayor?" Rick asked.

"Name is Charles Everdeen." He said grabbing his coat.

"I'm Rick and this is my wife, Lori. This man over here is T Dog, Carol, my son Carl, Beth, Hershel, Maggie, Glenn, and finally Daryl." Rick said as the mayor shook all of their hands. He paused at Daryl.

"I heard a lot about you young man. Chris Carraway talked about you for quite a while." Charles said before taking a seat next to Hershel.

"I must ask you, mayor. Where are you getting all the electricity?" Rick asked.

"Well this place is guarded by the army! This is the last survivor base in Chicago so most of the army is backing us up so they're giving us power from the only plant that's still working. Of course a lot of us are using solar energy power or water power but most of it comes from the plant that's about ten miles north here. You guys are lucky for staying with the Casterinis though. Edward Casterini was a great and honorable man." Charles said.

"Where did he have the money to build this beautiful house?" Carol asked.

"About twenty years ago there was a serial killer in Chicago that killed over fifty girls and the police finally caught him. At the time Edward was already big but not big enough. He was against the killer in court but he had a lot of problems since CSI could never find any of the bodies that the killer buried. They had very little evidence to work off of but Edward, using quick thinking found out the connection the killer had to all the girls he killed and that's what won him the case. In return he got over sixteen billion dollars from winning that case and he became a legend for solving a case that Chicago has never seen before since the 20s. Well after that, Edward became the most well-known lawyer in all of Chicago and out of his whole career he only lost one case. It's a shame we lost him." Charles explained.

"He died protecting us." Sarah told him.

"Well now I know where his daughter got it from. You must be little Rea!" Charles said ruffling Rea's hair when she sat next to Daryl.

"Why is there so many Les Mis things around the house?" Lori asked.

"Well Edward's wife, Tricia, loved that musical more than God so he always took her to see it whenever it was in. They always got posters and other things."

"Tricia?" Rick asked looking confused.

"She died before all of this happened from cancer. Tricia dreamed a dream and made it into a reality. She wanted three girls and God gave her that wish." Charles said rubbing a tear from his eye.

"Now what about this fiancé of Angelique's?" Daryl asked.

"He's from a line of royals from Italy. The Bava family is very rich and they live on the other side of the community. If you ever walk over there it's the house by the pond. Yes his father and mother died almost a year ago so he's by himself. That poor boy."

"Isn't others living with him?" Carol asked.

"Oh yes they live in the guest's wing in his house. He has a good twenty people living in his home but he's still lonely." Charles explained.

"Where do you live?" Rick asked.

"Well I live in the golden house that's in the middle of this place. I rarely stay there though since that's where most of the army boys live so I normally crash at the Bava mansion."

"Which house is the biggest here?" Daryl asked and everyone cracked up.

"Well it's between the Bava's and the Casterini's actually. That's why Edward and Joseph arranged their kid's marriage so they'll grow up living wealthy."

"I'll go and see what is taking my sister." Sarah said. She walked up the stairs and took the elevator. She knocked on Angelique's door before opening it and saw Angelique looking out the window.

"What's wrong Angelique? Everyone is waiting downstairs!" Sarah said.

"This isn't my dream." Angelique said.

"What are you talking about?" Sarah asked.

"Marrying him isn't my dream. I don't want to live that life. He'll keep me down and shove me into the dark where I'll live as a housewife. I can't do that!" Angelique shouting looking over at her sister.

"I know this is hard but please let's go…" Sarah said grabbing her sister's hand.

"I love Daryl…" Angelique said softly. Sarah hugged her sister.

"I know…" Sarah said. They walked out of Angelique's room to the balcony next to the elevator. The air outside was chilly when Angelique stepped out. She grabbed the bars and looked out and saw her community lit up at night. People were laughing and eating together in their homes or dancing to music she couldn't hear.

"Angelique… What is your dream?" Sarah asked standing next to her sister.

"Being happy." Angelique said. Sarah looked out into the sky and saw thousands of stars sprinkled across the skies like sprinkles.

"_I had a dream my life would be." _Sarah sang. Angelique looked over at her.

"_So different from this hell I'm living." _Angelique sang looking up at the sky.

"_So different now from what it seemed."_ Sarah sang louder making a couple of couples walking the streets below look up. Her voice echoed throughout the community making a few cardinals sing.

"_Now life has killed the dream I dreamed." _They both sang while tears fell from Angelique's face.

"Come on. You'll get frostbite if you don't get inside." Sarah said leading her younger sister inside into the elevator and finally the first floor.

"Well there you are, Angelique!" The mayor said getting up and giving her a hug.

"I missed you Mayor!" Angelique said. The doorbell rang and everyone jumped. "I'll get it." Angelique bounced to the door and opened it and at the door stood a young man with ice blue eyes, clean cut black hair and wearing a black suit holding a bouquet of roses. He smiled at Angelique and kissed her on the mouth passionately.

"I've been waiting two years for that." He said smiling.

"Ryan?"

_Author's Note_

_**COMING SOON**  
_

_Walking Dead: Road to Freedom Fan site.  
Love the story? Then enjoy the fan site where it's jam packed with awesome character profiles, photos and even the fanmade soundtrack which you can download for free! Enjoy all the music used in the story including Mumford and Sons, Green Day, Rolling Stones, U2 and so much more! Give thanks to Ann Mentshina for creating the theme of Angelique which you can download on the site!  
_

_Site and link will be posted by 12/20/12  
_

_Fight the Dead. Fear the Living  
_

_~ReginaRheims7711  
_


	7. The Walking Dead

_Chapter 7_

_The Walking Dead_

_Death Arrives _

_On the porch of Hope_

_Countless souls_

_Lost in faith_

_They're not alone_

_To withstand this heat_

_Blood stains their very memories_

_Imagine the fire_

_Imagine the death_

_These souls have faced_

_Count to ten_

_Hold it in_

_Held a candle_

_To the wind_

_Cause in the end_

_No one lives_

_Stories unravel_

_Bodies pile up_

_Guns fired_

_Fade into the night_

_Remember their goodbyes_

_On these death filled nights_

_They stand tall_

_Kill the evil_

_Survive the night_

_Keep the innocent_

_Lose pride_

_Cried to sleep_

_Cause skyfall isn't here_

_Safe is gone_

_Dead is here_

_No one is safe around here_

_They walk in hunger_

_Blood on their hands_

_Everyone is an enemy_

_Take them out  
_

_It just takes one_

_One to live_

_To tell the story of their lives_

_Stitch the wounds_

_Carry on_

_We are the last of hope_

_To destroy their kind_

_Brave the storm_

_And face today_

_They're not alone_

_Stand tall_

_Face today at skyfall_


	8. Elizabeth

_Chapter 8_

_Elizabeth _

**Two weeks after arriving in Oakbrook**

Elizabeth was only a few weeks away from giving birth. She wanted it to be a boy so she could name it after her husband. Christopher. She thought a lot through since she arrived in Oakbrook. Although Lori was over every day making quilts for the babies, she never paid attention to her talking about her past.

It wasn't until one day when Elizabeth had enough of running away from her past.

"Lori?" Elizabeth asked setting aside her quilt she was making. Lori looked up from her work.

"Something wrong?"

Elizabeth bit her lip and looked down.

"I need to visit someone." Elizabeth said.

"Oh! I'll go grab your coat." Lori said slowly getting up from the couch.

"I need Rick to come with." Elizabeth said rising from her chair.

"Why does he know the person?" Lori asked grabbing Elizabeth's coat from the closet and handing it to her.

"He's outside the gates. He's in the cemetery down the road. I just… I just want to visit him." Elizabeth said holding back her tears. She was good at hiding her real emotions and putting a fake smile on to make her husband happy. Lori grabbed her coat and looked at Elizabeth.

"Elizabeth… Is there something you want to tell me?" Lori asked grabbing her friend's shoulder.

"No! No there is nothing wrong at all." Elizabeth said smiling. She opened the front door and walked down the white steps and looked out to see children playing in the snow.

"Can't wait to see your kid playing in the snow?" Lori asked.

"Bella was never really interested in snow. She was more of the Barbie girl and played by the fireplace during the winter. I hope this one will be different." Elizabeth said holding her tummy. They walked down the path toward the street and followed the road to the Casterini's mansion.

"Afternoon ladies!" The mayor said tipping his hat to them. They waved hello and continued walking.

"Rick! Elizabeth needs an escort to the cemetery." Lori said when she saw her husband outside with Daryl and T Dog.

"Why do you need to go there? Can't Chris take you?" Rick asked.

"Chris went to hunt with a few of the other fathers." Lori said.

"Well I'm sure we can sneak out for twenty minutes. Let me grab my gun." Rick said and went back inside.

"Where is everyone?" Elizabeth asked.

"The girls are over at some lady's house planning the wedding." T Dog said rubbing his hands together.

"So the wedding is still on." Elizabeth said looking down. "Excuse me." Elizabeth walked into the Casterini's mansion and quickly ran into the bathroom.

_Just like you_

"This is all his fault!" Elizabeth shouted and threw everything off the sink, causing everything to smash onto the ground.

_She's going to end up like you_

Elizabeth looked at herself in the mirror and started to cry.

_She's going to end up tied down, loveless, and lost like you_

"STOP IT! GET OUT OF MY HEAD!" Elizabeth screamed and covered her ears.

_Loveless_

_Tied down_

_Lost_

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" Elizabeth screamed and grabbed the garbage can, throwing it against the mirror, smashing it into tiny pieces. She sat down on the toilet and cried.

"_Mommy?"_

"No… No leave me alone."

"_Mommy don't be sad." _ Elizabeth opened her eyes to see a small girl in a long black dress. Her hair was raven black and her eyes silver.

"Lily…"

"_Mommy…" _Lily said reaching her hand out to Elizabeth. Elizabeth reached her hand out but her hand slipped through Lily's. Lily vanished and Elizabeth wailed.

"_Just kill yourself." _Someone said. Elizabeth looked up to see herself staring at her.

"I'm going mad."

"_My point to kill yourself." _

"Leave me the hell alone."

"_I would love too! Scum like you don't deserve friends, family, a husband." _

"That man did this to me. He ruined my life! Now he's about to destroy another life."

"_Then kill him! You've had that anger in you since the day he made you say I do." _The "Elizabeth" said leaning against the sink.

"My hands… They aren't for killing." Elizabeth said looking at her hands.

"_Yet you killed Lily."_

"I DIDN'T KILL HER! IT WAS ALL HIM! HE DID IT." Elizabeth screamed.

_Kill him _

_He's putting you through hell_

"_Mommy?" _Lily appeared next to the other Elizabeth.

"Oh god…" Elizabeth cried.

"_Mommy… kill that bad man. He hurt me!" _Lily shouted.

"_Put yourself out of misery. Do yourself a favor and bury the anger you kept. Bury the grief of your daughter. Bury the pain you've had for the past fifteen years." _The other Elizabeth said before Lily and she burned in front of Elizabeth's eyes.

"Elizabeth? Are you okay?" Lori asked, knocking on the door.

"I'll be right out." Elizabeth said before picking up a shred of glass. She cut her palm and tossed the glass in the garbage can. She looked at her hand and looked up to see Lily.

"He'll pay." Elizabeth said. Lily looked at her mother and smiled.

* * *

"You don't need flowers?" Rick asked as he followed Lori and Elizabeth up a hill in the cemetery.

"He never liked them. He was always a guy who thought beer was the most romantic thing a girl could give him." Elizabeth said before stopping in front of a grave.

"Thomas Graceking?" Lori asked. Elizabeth looked over at her and smiled.

"He was my high school sweetheart. He went into the marines and died in an accident." Elizabeth said.

"I… I'm so sorry." Lori said and hugged Elizabeth.

"After I heard about his death I met Chris and a year later we were in Florida saying I do." Elizabeth laughed.

"How long have you two been married?" Lori asked.  
"Sixteen long years."

"Wow…"

"I know. It seems like a lifetime."

"Never again will I climb up another hill!" T Dog said huffing and wheezing as he sat in the snow to catch his breath. Daryl followed behind him and looked at some of the headstones.

"Is this a catholic cemetery?" Daryl asked.

"Yes it is actually." Elizabeth said looking at him confused.

"I'm not a very religious man but if I happen to die one day I want to be buried in a catholic cemetery." Daryl said.

"Alright that seems reasonable. I'll make a note of it." T Dog said pretending to write it down.

"We should head out. I'm not sure if walkers are around here." Rick said.

"Just give me a sec. I'll be right there." Elizabeth said. Rick tipped his hat and the boys left the ladies alone by the grave.

"What's wrong, Elizabeth?" Lori asked.

"Did Rick ever hurt you before?" Elizabeth asked her.

"No… why did Chris hurt you?" Lori asked holding Elizabeth's shoulder.

"Many times, Lori, many times."

* * *

"Well this is a surprise! How do you like the house?" Chris asked when he walked in to find Rick, Daryl, T Dog, Lori and Elizabeth sitting in the living room.

"Your house is beautiful." T Dog replied.

"Yeah it's not as big as the Casterini mansion but I love it the way it is. Hey maybe tomorrow I'll take you boys to the Bava's mansion. His house is built like a log cabin except it's huge and has more rooms… uh…" Chris said wandering off into the kitchen. Lori was looking at photographs in an album before stopping on one page.

"Elizabeth who's this?" Lori asked showing her the photo. The photo was of a small girl holding a red umbrella, laughing as she danced in the rain.

"That's Lily…" Elizabeth said looking away. "How are the cookies? Are they alright? I never seem to get my grandmother's recipe right."

"Who's Lily?" Lori asked. Elizabeth bit her lip and Chris walked in holding a six pack of beer.

"She was our first daughter." Chris said.

"What happened?" Rick asked.

"Car accident killed her instantly." Chris said popping open his beer. Elizabeth looked down the hall and saw her daughter Lily.

"_Mommy! I want to play mommy!" _Lily said before vanishing into thin air.

"I'm so sorry for your loss. It must've been tragic." Daryl said. Chris looked over at him and saw that he actually was looking at Elizabeth.

"Yes… my wife became depressed and started seeing things that weren't there so we decided to have another baby and it turned out to be Bella." Chris said leaning over and grabbing Elizabeth's hand but she pushed him away.

"We should probably get going." Lori said before getting up.

"Yeah you had a long day." Rick said looking at Chris.

"You are invited over anytime." Chris said getting up and leading them to the door.

"Mommy!" Bella said running into the living room with Beth right behind her.

"Hello, sweetie!" Elizabeth said hugging her daughter.

"Mommy Beth asked if I could sleepover at Angelique's house! Can I go, please mommy?" Bella asked.

"Oh why not? Hey you leave with the group alright?" Elizabeth told her.

"Hey if you need any help you come talk to me alright?" Lori asked her while Elizabeth helped put her coat on.

"Lori… we should talk tomorrow. There are some things we should discuss." Elizabeth whispered.

"You shouldn't be staying here if he hurts you. Elizabeth leave with us." Lori said grabbing Elizabeth's hands.

"I can't… I have a job that needs to get done." Elizabeth told her. Lori let go of her hands and shook her head.

"Have a safe night!" Chris told everyone as Bella hopped down the stairs and threw her coat on.

"Bye mommy!" Bella shouted and hugged Chris before walking out with the others. Chris shut the door and turned to look at his wife.

"What the hell has gotten into you?" Chris asked her.

Elizabeth said nothing and walked up the stairs into her office where she slammed the door and started to cry.

"_The gun is in your drawer. Just shoot the bastard and get it over with." _The other Elizabeth said. Elizabeth quickly went over to her drawer and took out her gun. She checked to see if there were bullets and then froze. She looked back into the drawer and saw a folder she never saw before. Well this was her husband's desk as well in some cases. Elizabeth took out the file and placed it on the desk before opening it.

"_What is that mommy?" _Lily asked looking over the desk.

"One of Chris's files." Elizabeth said pulling out blueprints and papers with weapons on it.

_What the hell is he up too? Is he planning on killing someone?_

She took out a blueprint of Angelique's house and then the house Elizabeth used to live in.

"Why does he have this?" Elizabeth asked herself looking over the blueprint.

"_Mommy you dropped something!" _Lily said handing her a tiny piece of paper. Elizabeth took it from her and unfolded it and read it.

_My dear Elizabeth, _

_This is the last letter you can ever expect from me. Outside these doors is a man and judging my my condition I won't survive. I ask of you to be safe and sound for the rest of your life. These past few years were the best I could ever live through. With the birth of our daughter, Lily, we lived through so much and I just want you to know how much it means to me. Elizabeth I love you with all my heart and I will be waiting for you on the other side. Death is here to take me away but I must warn you. Although we were never supposed to be together we couldn't separate but the man who was chosen to be your husband is here to put me to rest and ruin our ending. Elizabeth don't trust this man. Take Lily and run far away. _

_I-_

Elizabeth dropped the letter and burst into tears.

"_That's two people he took from you." _The other Elizabeth said. Elizabeth looked down at the gun and back at the letter. "_Shoot the one responsible for all of this." _

"_Elizabeth?" _An elderly lady asked as she appeared in front of the desk.

"Mother?" Elizabeth asked wiping away her tears.

"_Oh sweetie… Don't do this… Your hands were not meant to kill… They were meant to fix lives."_

"Then what should I do, mother?" Elizabeth asked her.

"_Run. You pack your things and run, Elizabeth. Never look back. Run to Angelique's house and tell her everything."_

Elizabeth quickly took out a pad of paper and a pen and started to write. The three hallucinations looked over her shoulder as she was writing and added things she should write. Awhile later someone knocked on the door.

"Elizabeth? I'm leaving." A lady told her.

"Josephine can you come in here for a second?" Elizabeth asked. Josephine, the house keeper, walked in and stood in the doorway.

"Give this to Angelique. No. Put this in her study but put it somewhere where she won't find it right away. She needs to know about what is going on." Elizabeth told her and gave her the letter.

"Where are you going?" Josephine asked as she followed Elizabeth into her room.

"I'm leaving. I can't take this pain anymore and I need to go or I'll end up killing myself and he already took enough of my life away as it is." Elizabeth said throwing a suitcase on the bed and started throwing clothes in it.

"What is going on?" Josephine asked.

"Just give her that letter, Josephine. Now please leave." Elizabeth said.

"Have a nice night then, Elizabeth." Josephine said.

"Oh! Wait I have something for you." Elizabeth told her. She took out her checkbook and wrote out ten thousand dollars to Josephine.

"Why Elizabeth! I can't accept this!"

"No you must. Please… It's my gift to you for putting up with my bitchy behavior this whole time."

"Elizabeth… you were never a bitch. You are a good Christen women." Josephine said before leaving Elizabeth to pack. She quickly threw in clothes, makeup, jewelry and photos and closed her suitcase before throwing on her most expensive coat and hat and tucked her gun in the pocket. She grabbed her suitcase and rushed down the stairs and looked quickly for her husband which was nowhere to be seen. She rushed over to the front entrance and placed her hand on the doorknob.

"Where in the hell are you going?" Chris asked her from behind.

"I'm running from you." Elizabeth said not turning around.

"From me? Elizabeth you have a baby that will be here in a few days and we need you to stay safe." Chris said wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her away from the door.

"LET GO OF ME!" Elizabeth screamed. Chris pulled her into the living room and pushed her into the couch.

"I'm letting my wife get away so easily." Chris said angrily.

"You let me go! You ruined enough of my life!"

"I made your life happy! If it wasn't for me you would still be with that excuse of a man and probably be dead!"

"I RATHER BE DEAD WITH HIM THEN DIE WITH YOU! YOU TOOK AWAY THE MAN I TRULY LOVE AND A DAUGHTER I CHERISHED BECAUSE THEY WERE NEVER YOURS!" Elizabeth screamed at him. Chris laid on top of her and kissed her on the mouth. Elizabeth tried to fight him but he was too strong.

_Use the gun_

Elizabeth reached into her pocket but before she could even reach for the gun, Chris was there and took the gun from out of her pocket.

"Like I said you're not getting away so quickly." Chris said throwing the gun onto the other couch.

"GET OFF OF ME! I DON'T LOVE YOU!" Elizabeth said trying to kick him off. At once Chris got off and looked at her, tears forming in his eyes.

"You never loved me?"

"I… No… I've always loved Thomas…"

"YOU BITCH! I GIVE YOU THE WORLD AND YOU GIVE ME SHIT!"

"YOU TOOK HIM FROM ME! I READ THAT LETTER!"

"I TOOK HIM SO YOU WOULDN'T LIVE THE LIFE OF A PAUPER!"

"I RATHER LIVE THE LIFE OF HAPPINESS THEN THE LIFE WHERE I HAVE TO PRETEND I'M ENJOYING LIFE."

"I gave you everything. This is how you repay me?!"

"You took everything I love before you started treating me like your wife. You killed my fiancé and then you took my daughter."

"I killed that bastard because he was in my way. The little whore was also in my way so I took her out of this world too."

Elizabeth looked at him petrified.

"She loved you."

"I never loved her. She wasn't mine."

"SHE TREATED YOU LIKE A FATHER AFTER HER OWN WAS KILLED AND THEN YOUR TOOK HER AWAY JUST LIKE THAT?!"

"Watching her drown in that bathtub was heaven to me. I finally knew that you were mine. She was the only reason you had left to still love that man. Once she was gone you were free."

"You took away my happiness. You took my life and not only that you destroyed the life of others."

"I was doing the world a favor. People like those two don't deserve to live on this planet."

Elizabeth got up and punched Chris square in the face.

"BITCH!" Chris screamed and shoved his wife into a wall.

"You told me a long time ago after that serial killer was murdered that sinners don't deserve to live here. Well I took sinners out and replaced them." Chris said tilting her chin up so she was looking at him.

"You are planning on killing Daryl… He's in your way…" Elizabeth said before coughing.

"He's been in the way since the beginning. I'm doing Angelique a favor by killing the thing that distracts her from her real love."

"She never loved Ryan… You can't kill love. Killing Daryl will never take her love for him away."

"I destroy what's in the way. If that's how it goes then it looks like she's has to go too." Chris said standing up and grabbing the gun from the couch.

"Don't kill them, Chris…"

He looked at the gun for a long time before looking over at Elizabeth.

"You said you would've rather die with him then die with me."

"I mean every word I say."

Chris pointed the gun at her.

"Then I have no use for you anymore. You can take that bastard baby to hell with you."

"The only one going to hell is you."

"Oh no. I'm doing God's work. You're just in my way. I'm sorry, Elizabeth." Chris said before firing the gun.

_"Mommy? Mommy you're safe now." _

_"I told you I was going to wait. Welcome home, my dear Elizabeth." A man said to her as he wrapped his arms around her and picked up a little girl and the holocaust was complete and Elizabeth was carried to a better place. _

* * *

_It was a warm summer's eve when I met the man of my dreams. His hair was a fluffy black that smelled of mint and hope. His eyes filled with the color of chocolate and his smile as bright as a full moon. He was a writer and artist who had a future ahead of him. That moment I knew I would love him. We spent many months together and shared memories. With the birth of Lily he proposed to me. My happily ever after was finally coming true. The day, Chris entered my life again was six years after being with Thomas. He told me he was going overseas with the army to write a story about the base he was staying at. I got a call a day after he left saying he was shot and killed. My world shattered and the dream I had was broken. Chris returned a week later and stayed. My father's dream came true when I was forced to marry Chris after struggling with financial problems. Lily loved Chris though. They spent their days playing in the snow or leaves and sometimes even in the pool. She was only five when I found her in the bathtub. She was left unattended for a few minutes and she drowned. I lost the two things I loved most in my life. I couldn't live with myself for a year. I became depressed and attempted suicide many times but Chris always caught me in the act and sent me somewhere for help. It was then that they started visiting me. Lily was first. She always wanted to play or color or wear my dresses. My other self came a few days later and haunted me. I knew it was all fake but the voices kept talking. I blamed myself for the two deaths until I demanded Chris that we have another child. Bella was her name and she looked nothing like Lily. The day Bella was brought into this world I looked at her. Her eyes looked just like Chris. She looked like him. He got his wish. His only child was going to grow up looking like him. He arranged her marriage with the mayor's son but his son died when he was six of cancer. That wasn't the first time that he arranged a marriage. He got involved with the Casterini-Bava marriage and thought that Angelique their newborn was perfect for Ryan. He was the one who signed the papers. The one who gave Ryan his engagement ring to Angelique. The one who brought her back so she couldn't be with the one she truly loves. Now he's going to destroy her life and I won't be there to stop him. _

* * *

"Are you sure you don't another cup of tea, Josephine?" Angelique asked as she walked into the study.

"No thanks, Angelique. I have to go take care of my husband. He has the cold again." Josephine said putting on her coat.

"Oh dear will please let me know if you need anything!" Angelique said sitting in her desk chair.

"And please tell Elizabeth that she is in my prayers." Josephine said before heading out the front door and closing it behind her. Angelique started putting files away and pushed her chair back to find something stuck to the wheel.

"What's this?" Angelique asked and found a note. She put the files away and quickly opened the letter.

_Dear Angelique,_

_For sixteen long years I've lived a life of hell. Sixteen years of true pain and horror. I need to tell you my story…_

"After the death of Thomas I was forced to marry Chris." Angelique said reading the letter out loud.

_You never met my first daughter Lily because she died before we moved into the neighbor. _

"She was the most beautiful daughter any mother could ever want."

_He took her away from me. He drowned her in the bathtub. I became depressed and tried to kill myself many times but he always found me and kept me in this world. _

"Angelique I must write to say he has not only killed my daughter, Lily but the man I truly love."

_He is also after the man you love as well. _

Angelique looked up from the letter and quickly rushed out of the room.

"HOLLY! SARAH!" Angelique screamed as she quickly ran from the study and up the stairs.

_All my life I just wanted true happiness. I wanted to live the life I wanted. It's because of him that my dream was never reached. He took it from me because he wasn't in my dream. This world that we live in is full of blood and hatred. You not only have to fight the dead but you have to fear the living. _

"SOMEONE PLEASE! IS ANYONE HERE?!" Angelique screamed as she ran down the hallways on the third floor.

_If you are reading this then either Chris or I have passed. If I died then it's my blood that's on his hands. Then he killed me. Angelique you must run. He's a man on a mission and he's after Daryl. Save yourself because if you are in his way he will shoot to kill, even if you go down with Daryl. Take everyone and run. Most importantly. Take Bella with you. Although she may be his, don't let her stay with him. _

"DARYL?! GUYS WHERE ARE YOU! HELP SOMEONE! PLEASE!"

Angelique quickly found Daryl and Rick watching TV in Rick's room.

"Angelique?" Daryl asked. Angelique was crying as she walked over towards him and hugged him, crying into his shirt.

"What's going on?" Rick said and he took the letter from Angelique and read it.

"Hey what's with the screaming?" Hershel asked walking into Rick's room with Glenn and Maggie behind him.

"Oh god." Rick said dropping the letter and sitting on the couch.

"Hey open that window! Give Rick and Angelique some air." Daryl shouted as he hugged Angelique. Glenn opened the window as Hershel read the letter and gave it to Daryl before grabbing some tissues and crying into them. From outside Angelique saw a crowd of people gathering at Elizabeth's house.

"Come on we better confront him." Hershel said and the group left the room and went into the elevator.

"Shh it's going to be alright. We'll be alright." Daryl said comforting Angelique. They quickly walked outside and to Elizabeth's house where Chris ran out the front door.

"HELP! SOMEONE KILLED MY WIFE! SOMEONE KILLED ELIZABETH!" Chris screamed as people gathered including the mayor.

_Just remember. Love still exists even in a world like this. It may be hard to find but it's still there. For now I'm finally safe in my own heaven with people I truly love. Until we meet again, Angelique this is my last sirens call. Take care. _

_Yours Truly,_

_Elizabeth Graceking_


	9. Castle on a Cloud

_Chapter 9_

_Castle On a Cloud_

It was weeks after the murder of Elizabeth when Daryl finally had enough of waiting around.

"I'm getting out of this damn house." Daryl said and grabbed his jacket.

"Where?" T Dog asked.

"Does it matter? I'm leaving this place and clearing my head." Daryl snapped at him and walked out of the house. He breathed in the cold air for a few moments before heading down the block towards the other mansions and near the playground where the kids played during the day. The moon's light bounced off him and caused shadows in the night as he made his way towards the playground's bench. He sat down and put his face in his hands.

_None of this would've happen if we never met them._ He looked up and saw the millions of stars above.

"Each star represents a person who lived on Earth." Daryl said out loud.

_There is a castle on a cloud,__  
__I like to go there in my sleep,__  
__Aren't any floors for me to sweep,__  
__Not in my castle on a cloud._

"Who's there?" Daryl said pulling his hunting knife out. He quickly got off the bench and walked around the playground.

_There is a lady all in white,__  
__Holds me and sings a lullaby,__  
__She's nice to see and she's soft to touch,__  
__She says "Cosette, I love you very much."_

Daryl turned and saw a girl wearing a ripped dress, her hair covered in blood and mud.

"What are you doing out here at night? You should be at home with your parents." Daryl said and smiled at her. She looked up at him, her eyes glassy clear, skin pale as the moon.

_I know a place where no one's lost,__  
__I know a place where no one cries,__  
__Crying at all is not allowed,__  
__Not in my castle on a cloud._

The girl finished singing and turned away from him, walking down towards the small pond.

"Hey…" Daryl said and followed her. She led him to the pond and turned to face him.

"You're her… Lily right?" Daryl said. She nodded her head.

"Aren't you supposed to have black hair? You have blonde hair." Daryl pointed out as he took a seat in a small patch of grass. Her hair quickly changed to black as she took a seat next to him.

"I know you can't actually talk but see those stars up there?" Daryl asked her. She looked at him and nodded her head.

"Well… one of them is your star. Why are you down here when you should be up there in your… "Castle on a Cloud"?" Daryl asked. Lily held out her hand towards him, he looked over and saw the piece of paper. Grabbing it she stood up and floated to the pond. Daryl looked at the paper and at her.

"The dream lives." Daryl said. She made a circular motion with her finger, he turned it over and saw a drawing of a dove flying. He looked up to see Lily floating on top of the pond.

_I know a place where no one's lost,__  
__I know a place where no one cries,__  
__Crying at all is not allowed,__  
__Not in my castle on a cloud._

Lily vanished into the pond and Daryl looked down to see the slip of paper gone only to be holding a small white lily. Daryl quickly realized what Lily meant and rushed back to the mansion as fast as he could.

"ANGELIQUE! RICK!" Daryl screamed at the top of his lungs as soon as he opened the door.

"Daryl?" Lori asked looking at him weird.

"Where are they?" He said grabbing her arms.

"Library…" Lori said. Quickly Daryl ran up the stairs and up the elevator to the top floor where the library was and opened the double doors to find Angelique, Rick, Ryan and T Dog.

"Daryl?" Rick asked.

"I just saw her." Daryl said out of breath.

"Saw who?" Angelique asked.

"Lily… The dream lives." Daryl repeated the words on the paper.

"What dream?" T Dog asked.

"THE dream! Our dream! The one where we can escape from this place!" Daryl said shaking T Dog.

"Escape?" Ryan asked standing up.

"We're trying to get away from Chris. We believe the disease is getting the best of him and making him go on a frenzy killing act." Angelique told him.

"Well I know he killed her but why leave? We're happy here." Ryan said grabbing her hand.

"I'm not…" She said quietly. He looked at her sadly and bowed his head.

"Castle on a cloud…" Daryl said still out of breath. Angelique's eyes lit up and she turned towards him.

"Lily said that?" Angelique asked.

"She sang this song and kept saying "Castle on a cloud"." Angelique walked over to a wooden desk and started taking out papers.

"What is it?" Ryan asked.

"It's a keyword Elizabeth and I created when we were down south." Angelique said before pulling out a wooden box with the Celtic bond on the cover.

"So what she just sends her daughter's spirit to tell Daryl when she could've told you?" T Dog asked.

"Elizabeth just died… She wouldn't have enough energy unlike her daughter to send messages to us from the other side."

"Whoa so you believe in ghosts too?" Ryan asked.

"Yeah…" Daryl, Rick and Angelique said. She opened the box and pulled out a pair of keys and a map.

"What you have some special car or something?" T Dog asked.

"Nope… It's Chris' private jet keys. Elizabeth stole them just in case we had to make a getaway to Canada or something."

"WHY DIDN'T YOU USE IT BEFORE?!" T Dog screamed.

"BECAUSE IT DOESN'T HAVE FUEL! Elizabeth and I finally found some leftover fuel that is enough to take us to Toronto." Angelique snapped.

"Um… Rick?" Lori asked opening the door.

"What?" Rick asked looking over at her.

"Someone is here…" Lori said and pulled open the door all the way. A man walked in rubbing his chin and threw his gun on the desk.

"Well hey there baby brother. So you're leaving for Canada now? Mind if ya'll bring a plus one invite?" The man asked looking at Daryl and then the others.

"Merle?" Daryl asked looking at his older brother.


End file.
